The Oslo Channel : an analysis of the negotiations in three perspectives Oslo Channel

Abstract

The Oslo channel. An Analysis of the Negotiations in three Perspectives. In this study, I present and discuss different schools of negotiation theory, with a view to testing them out on a specific empirical case: the Oslo channel. The study is divided into five chapters: an introduction, a theoretical approach, a background sketch of the empirical case, an analysis of the negotiations and a conclusion. In traditional negotiation theory, here summarised in three different approaches - the structural, the process oriented and the behaviour oriented approach - the last approach is usually not emphasised in political science. However, I try to show that the factors pertaining to this approach have a significant impact on a negotiation process. The purpose of my study has been to elevate the estimation of these factors to the level of the structural and process oriented ones, and examine the interaction and mutual dependency between all of the factors. My main questions are: What influence did the different factors have on the outcome of the Oslo negotiations? Did the interaction and the dynamics between the parties have a particular influence on the outcome of these negotiations? In my study, different negotiation theoretical approaches are elaborated. I have then extracted the most important factors from each approach and categorised them into three perspectives. In addition, these perspectives are made more suitable for an analysis of practical negotiations by the introduction of some new elements. This is done on the assumption that traditional negotiation theory is too abstract to explain all aspects of the outcome of practical negotiations. When analysing a negotiation process through the lenses of only one of these approaches, one obtains a limited picture of which factors lead to the success or failure of the negotiation. Consequently, the three new perspectives, which I have labelled the exogenous, the procedural and the psycho-dynamic perspective, are introduced to facilitate the analysis of the interaction between the factors influencing a negotiation process. The perspectives are ultimately applied in the analysis of the Oslo negotiations.