Misunderstandings

  Nancy Ferrell explains how you need to overtly change erroneous perceptions and work hard to figure out what those perceptions are.

 In a case of Iranian students being harrassed and attacked by white students in Oklahoma, the Iranian students did not understand the role of the local police and the laws that limited their involvement, says Nancy Ferrell.

 Nancy Ferrell explains how rumors can be controlled by opening lines of credible communication.

 Nancy Ferrell explains that some situations call for "technical assistance," while at other times, "table mediation" is necessary. The existing level of communication is one determining factor.

 Civil rights mediator Efrain Martinez explains how cultural misunderstandings between Vietnamese and local fisherman in Texas caused tensions and eventually a killing (though the killing isn't described here).

 Efrain Martinez explains how the mediation process itself can create trust where none existed before.

 Will Reed explains how establishing communication is key to forming relationships that will allow parties to solve problems over the long term.