The distinctive impact of culture in both creating opportunities for dispute settlement and imposing obstacles to agreement are examined in this volume. Expert views on the nature and limits of culture's influence on negotiation are offered in the first part. Part Two contains case studies and analyses of international disputes regarding water resources, asking the following key questions: What are the cultural components that made a difference to the outcome? What role did culture play in the negotiation process? What are some specific illustrations of the contributing role of culture both to the dispute and to the ways it was handled?
The final section includes implications for practitioners and policymakers, along with new directions for future studies.