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Conflict Resolution

Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution

The Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR) is an academic program offering BA, BS, MS, and PhD degrees, and graduate certificates. ICAR’s community of scholars, practitioners, and graduate students are active worldwide in the field of peace making and conflict resolution. ICAR offers conflict resolution through problem-solving processes. Trained facilitators assist parties by analyzing and resolving disputes.

Web: www.gmu.edu/departments/ICAR

ICAR services include the following:

• Applied Theory and Practice Program. This program allows faculty, practitioners, and graduate students to develop and test new techniques of conflict analysis and resolution in broad areas of community or interjurisdictional conflict. The program is also involved in long-term projects, consulting, analysis, research, process design, mediation, facilitation, and training services to meet short-term needs. Call 703-993-1300.

Web: www.gmu.edu/departments/ICAR

• The Northern Virginia Mediation Service (NVMS). This service is an independent nonprofit corporation affiliated with ICAR. It provides mediation services across a wide range of disputes, including neighborhood, family and domestic, parenting and divorce, landlord and tenant, parent and teen, consumer and merchant, and business disputes. In accordance with its mission to provide dispute resolution and public education, the service offers several other services, such as mediator training and certification, education, and facilitation. Call 703-993-3656.

Web: www.nvms.us

• Court Mediation Program. Working with General District Courts in Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun Counties, and the city of Falls Church, NVMS, a nonprofit affiliate of the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, provides on-site day-of-trial mediation for small claims and General District Courts cases. Funding is through the Supreme Court of Virginia, and there is no charge to disputants. Call 703-993-3656.

• Peer Mediation in the Schools. ICAR and NVMS, in partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools, offers an annual conference for students, teachers, and administrators from school systems all over Virginia to come together to learn more about peer mediation. Contact Sara Cobb, 703-993-4452. NVMS also publishes a free peer mediation program contact directory that can be downloaded from the web. NVMS has worked with schools in several area jurisdictions to provide peer mediation training, youth conflict resolution workshops, and related services. Call 703-993-3656.

• Peer Mediation Partners. Peer Mediation Partners (PMP) is a student organization housed in the Conflict Analysis and Resolution undergraduate program that partners with middle and high school students in an effort to build strong and sustainable peer mediation programs. PMP conducts needs assessments at schools and runs training and skills development workshops for students and teachers. PMP also supports the annual Fairfax County Public Schools Pathways to Peace Conference for secondary, middle, and elementary schools. Call 703-993-4165.