Activists and journalists alike generally tell stories of marginalized and embattled communities in terms that emphasize their status as victims of oppressive forces. Their reasons for doing so are sound: to document suffering that is hidden from the public, to force accountability from those oppressive forces, and to demand proper restitution.
Open Society Fellows Kung Li and Noy Thrupkaew argue that this victim narrative can blind us to the resilience of individuals and communities. At the same time, the increasing popularity of pointing to the “natural” resilience of people and communities runs the risk of playing into the ideology of those on the Right who tout the virtues of “personal responsibility.” In this context, what is the connection between resilience and resistance? How is resilience not only personal, but also political?
Speakers
- Noy Thrupkaew, journalist and Open Society Fellow
- Kung Li, litigator, human rights activist, and Open Society Fellow
- Patricia Jerido, program officer at the Open Society Foundations Democracy and Power Fund