This book examines international mediation through the lens of ‘mandates’, an often-overlooked dimension in mediation literature, with a special focus on the Nordic countries (mainly Norway, Sweden, and Finland) and their extensive experience mediating in armed conflicts around the world. Isak Svensson and Peter Wallensteen conceptualize a mandate as a formal or informal authorization issued by external actors to an individual mediator. Compared with a peacekeeping mandate, a mediation mandate could be less precise and legalistic. It nevertheless delineates the source of authority, its objectives and boundaries, and the mediator’s goals, instructions, and degree of discretion in managing or resolving a conflict. Building on this definition, the book traces how mediation emerges and unfolds in practice. It follows the process from mandate formation to strategy choice, crisis management, multiparty coordination, agreement design, and termination, interweaving Nordic cases throughout. In doing so, it restores many overlooked dynamics and practical, in-depth details – rich with the wisdom and judgment of experienced mediators – often missing from quantitative studies. By focusing on the Nordic countries – relatively free from power and violence-based mediation – the book may limit generalizability but offers a clear view of how mediation mandates operate, while also providing practical guidance applicable to other countries. Unlike previous quantitative studies that measure mediation effectiveness by whether an agreement is reached, its speed, or its impact on conflict reduction, this book focuses on the extent to which mediators achieve their goals and plans, recognizing that these objectives can evolve over the course of the mediation, thereby offering a valuable complement to our understanding of mediation in practice.