Adjudication, arbitration, conciliation, litigation, and other related concepts


The following concepts that are close to the concept of "mediation" need to be distinguished from it.  The following are extracts form the greatest authority in the English language, Webster . (Webster 's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language  Unabridged. Encyclopaedia Britannica London, Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica 1993.)  However, in Webster  every headword has many sub-concepts.  I have reproduced only those which are closest to our topic. 

adjudicate ... 1 b:  to decide (as an interlocutory matter) arising prior to a final decision  (p. 27)

adjudication ... 2: a determination, a decision, or sentence esp. without imputation of guilt (p. 27) 

arbitration: the act of arbitrating; esp: the hearing and determination of a case between parties in controversy by a person or persons chosen by the parties or appointed under statutory authority instead of by a judicial tribunal provided by law   (p. 110)

arbitrator: ... 1: a person or one of two or more persons chosen to settle by arbitration the differences between two parties in controversy: ...  distinguished from mediator 2 :. one with absolute power of deciding (p. 110)

litigation ... 3 : a controversy involving adverse parties before an executive governmental agency having quasi-judicial powers and employing quasi-judicials procedures (p. 1322)

mediate ... 2 a : to interpose between parties or to reconcile them or to interpret them to each other <l want to mediate  between the two of you now, because if this breach continues it will be the ruin of us all]--Robert Graves> b to negotiate a compromise of hostile or incompatible viewpoints, demands, or attitudes : reconcile differences <... between extreme points of view--C. I. Glicksberg> .. 1 a : to bring about by intervention between conflicting parties : effect by action as an intermediary (p. 1402)

mediator ... 1 a ... : one that mediates between parties at variance to reconcile them (p. 1402)

In a more popular setting there are other concepts:

Process controller: Third party controls process but not contents.

Process provider, facilitator: Third party brings the conflict parties together providing facilities,