Power,Adaptive Preferences,and Negotiation: Process Specifics Matters

Process structure and dynamics matter when we want to understand how power and preferences interact within multi-stakeholder processes such as negotiations. In Shin's paper, “Can One Actually Say What One Wants?” the structure of the processes under scrutiny is not sufficiently described, nor are many important dynamics among the parties. I argue here that a more fruitful research question is: “When can one actually say what one wants?” By removing the presumption that power is the only crucial variable, this question allows for a more nuanced understanding of the rare conditions when parties can talk honestly. Finally, I present some of the findings from mediation theory, showing the conditions under which parties can talk more honestly and effectively about their disagreements in the face of unequal power.