Volume 14 (2025), Edition 2

Municipal urban planning has to deal with »wicked« problems and must deal with diffuse problem definitions, competing interests and conflicting objectives. Based on an empirical case study in the Ruhr area, Germany, the article shows how the...

Many German cities are confronted with a structural conflict: they are growing and need more housing and built infrastructure, but they also need to tackle climate change by unsealing areas and providing space for more blue-green infrastructure. The...

The perception of conflict situations in German municipalities is largely unexplored. This article is based on a quantitative survey in which municipal representatives in German municipalities were asked about current conflicts and conflict...

In the face of current crises and conflicts, the proactive handling of these in municipalities is becoming more and more urgent. In this article, experiences from nine municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia that have implemented an internal...

Emotions are a central component of interpersonal and societal conflicts. At the local level, both conflict parties and conflict counsellor experience various emotions in conflicts and their constructive resolution. This paper examines the...

Qualitative interviews with Ukrainians living in Germany indicate an increased occurrence of guilt related to leaving their own country, family and friends. Feelings of guilt are based on an inner psychological conflict about how we would like to...

The primary aim of every mediation is to foster a deep understanding of the needs and positions of every opposing party. It is only upon this foundation that the mediation’s objectives can be jointly realized. This article explores how the...

Self-reflection is essential for developing mediation skills. This article demonstrates how reflection can be purposefully applied in learning, practicing, and teaching mediation. In emotionally charged situations, becoming aware of one’s own...