Elder Mistreatment Among Four Asian American Groups: An Exploratory Study on Tolerance, Victim Blaming and Attitudes Toward Third-Party Intervention

This paper explores mediator interactions from within the mediation process. It is difficult to obtain access to mediations due to issues of confidentiality and litigation privilege, thus restricting direct empirical research. During a yearlong ethnographic study during which the author was a participant-observer of a number of commercial mediations, the nature of mediations was explored from an independent observational perspective – separate from the process yet within the process. In this study, real life patterns of interactions are examined through case study analysis. It offers a reconceptualization of the nature of mediator interventions, one that moves beyond the accepted understanding of third party intervention. It suggests that the mediator has a fugitive identity in mediation, reflecting a traditional neutral third party intervener role, a party role and an adviser role.Dans le présent document, l‟auteure explore les interactions des médiateurs dans le cadre du processus de médiation. Il est difficile d‟obtenir l‟accès aux séances de médiation en raison du secret professionnel et du privilège relatif au litige, et cette difficulté limite la recherche empirique directe. Au cours d‟une étude ethnographique qui s‟est déroulée sur une année et à laquelle l‟auteure a participé comme observatrice d‟un certain nombre de médiations commerciales, la nature des médiations a été explorée d‟un point de vue observationnel indépendant – distinct du processus bien qu‟au sein du processus. Dans la présente étude, des situations réelles d‟interaction sont examinées au moyen de l‟analyse d‟études de cas. L‟auteure offre une reconceptualisation de la nature des interventions du médiateur, qui va au-delà de ce qui est reconnu comme l‟intervention d‟une tierce partie. Le médiateur aurait une identité fugace dans le processus de médiation, cette identité s‟expliquant par un rôle traditionnel de tiers intervenant neutre, un rôle de partie et un rôle de conseiller.

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The dyad is not enough

Sociologisk Forskning ◽

10.37062/sf.58.22041 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 58 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Torbjörn Bildtgård ◽

Marianne Winqvist ◽

Peter Öberg

Keyword(s):

Life Course ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Social Dynamics ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Life Course Perspective ◽

Third Party ◽

Older Parents ◽

Biological Children ◽

Over Time

The increasing prevalence of ageing stepfamilies and the potential of stepchildren to act as a source of support for older parents have increased the interest in long-term intergenerational step relationships. Applying a life-course perspective combined with Simmel’s theorizing on social dynamics, this exploratory study aims to investigate the preconditions for cohesion in long-term intergenerational step relationships. The study is based on interviews with 13 older parents, aged 66–79, who have raised both biological children and stepchildren. Retrospective life-course interviews were used to capture the development of step relationships over time. Interviews were analysed following the principles of analytical induction. The results reveal four central third-party relationships that are important for cohesion in intergenerational step relationships over time, involving: (1) the intimate partner; (2) the non-residential parent; (3) the bridge child; and (4) the stepchild-in-law. The findings have led to the conclusion that if we are to understand the unique conditions for cohesion in long-term intergenerational step relationships, we cannot simply compare biological parent–child dyads with step dyads, because the step relationship is essentially a mediated relationship.

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