A Living Tradition: Reconnecting the Ombuds Role to Human Evolution

The Parallel Socio-Cultural Evolution of Ombudsing (2003)

By Misa Kelly

This pioneering paper proposes a transformative theory within the field of ombuds scholarship: that the role of the ombuds did not evolve solely from the Swedish model but instead arose in parallel across many cultures. Drawing from global histories, anthropology, ethics, and conflict studies, Misa Kelly traces the universal essence of ombudsing to early human behaviors—peacemaking, storytelling, ethics, and accountability—arguing that these elements are embedded in the human impulse toward justice.

Written during Kelly’s time at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and deeply influenced by the mentorship of Stanley V. Anderson, this work responds to a gap in existing scholarship with two original theoretical frameworks:

1. The Parallel Socio-Cultural Evolution Theory, and

2. The Basic Ombuds Model and Principles.

Together, these frameworks challenge exclusionary definitions of what constitutes a "real" ombudsman and advocate for a more inclusive, cross-cultural understanding of the role. This paper is a foundational piece in Kelly’s larger body of work reclaiming the peacemaking roots of ombudsing and inviting a decolonized, universal perspective on conflict resolution.