Courage Under Crisis: Examining Altruistic Resistance in Mass Atrocities

Why do individuals resist in different ways during mass atrocities? I theorize that variation in altruistic resistance is shaped by access to platforms, personal connections to victims, and organizational membership. Focusing on bystanders who choose to intervene, I develop a new typology of “Helpers” and construct an original global dataset. Using a mixed-methods approach, I test my hypotheses through regression analysis and triangulate my statistical evidence with individual Helper case studies. This research advances scholarship on resistance by systematically analyzing variation in altruistic behavior, contributing to our understanding of the social and institutional factors that may affect Helpers’ actions.