THE ETHICS OF NEUTRALITY IN INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION: TOWARD A CONTEXT-SENSITIVE REAPPRAISAL

Authors : Cavit Emre Aytekin

Pages : 219-231

Doi:10.69851/car.1792510

View : 77 | Download : 218

Publication Date : 2025-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Neutrality has long been considered a cornerstone of mediation theory and practice, however its ethical and practical value is increasingly contested in contemporary conflict environments. This article examines the dilemmas of mediator neutrality, arguing that strict impartiality in some specific occasions obscures structural inequalities and can inadvertently sustain unjust power relations. Drawing on Peace Studies, Conflict Resolution, and critical International Relations, the paper reconceptualizes neutrality not as an absolute moral principle but as a context-sensitive practice whose legitimacy depends on justice, inclusion, and the dynamics of specific conflicts. Methodologically, the study develops a normative–conceptual analysis informed by illustrative case discussions and the mediation ethics literature. The cases of Bosnian civil war process and the Oslo process between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization demonstrate how rigid adherence to neutrality either legitimized aggression or entrenched structural inequities, therefore producing settlements that lacked both justice and sustainability. These examples highlight that neutrality, when applied without sensitivity to asymmetry, risks reinforcing the very conditions that perpetuate conflict. The article argues that in such contexts mediators must adopt a more engaged stance that protects vulnerable groups and addresses systemic injustice, while remaining transparent about their ethical commitments. This approach, conceptualized as context-sensitive neutrality, seeks to balance the traditional value of impartiality with the normative imperatives of justice and inclusion. The article’s contribution is twofold: first, to clarify the ethical and practical limits of conventional neutrality; and second, to propose a conceptual framework of context-sensitive neutrality that equips mediators to navigate the tensions between impartiality, justice, and effectiveness. This rethinking has implications for mediation ethics, peacebuilding theory, and the practice of international diplomacy.
Keywords : Anahtar Kelimeler: Arabuluculuk, Çatışma Çözümü, Tarafsızlık, Barış Çalışmaları

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