People or things that intervene between parties to help resolve disputes or facilitate communication. They act as neutral intermediaries to bring opposing sides together.
From Latin 'mediatus', past participle of 'mediare' meaning 'to be in the middle'. The word evolved through Old French 'mediat' before entering Middle English, maintaining its core meaning of acting as a go-between.
Mediators exist everywhere in nature - from enzymes that mediate chemical reactions in our bodies to mycorrhizal fungi that mediate nutrient exchange between plant roots and soil. The concept transcends human conflict resolution!
Mediation and conflict resolution roles became feminized labor (caregiving, emotional unpaid work) while male-coded 'negotiators' and 'dealmakers' retained higher status and compensation for semantically similar roles.
Use 'mediator' and 'negotiator' interchangeably; avoid gendered role assignment based on tone, emotion-work, or service framing.
["negotiators","conflict facilitators"]
Women mediators and peacebuilders (from community organizing to international diplomacy) historically received less institutional credit than male counterparts in identical roles.
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