The saying goes that the personal is political. But the inverse is increasingly evident: The political is personal. In our layered worlds of journalism, politics, social media, popular culture, and academia, all manner of debate has effectively become part of the zeitgeist. “Debate” may even be a misnomer. One side sounds off into the abyss—nary a syllable reaching those with deeply held, incompatible convictions across the gaping chasm of positions. The issues, of course, tap into core values and many who sincerely seek to engage often find themselves shut out or shut down.

We have observed these trends from our particular vantage point as mediators and consider, in this column, how some mediation skills may provide opportunities for attorneys who are engaging in difficult conversations to find areas for connection and understanding, if not for agreement. Of note, we write this column with the assistance of a student at the University of Pennsylvania Law School who participated in our Mediation Theory and Skills course and has remarked upon the extent to which these communication-based challenges are prevalent among attorneys-in-training.

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