The Role of Civilians and Civil Society in Preventing Mass Atrocities

This research project explored when, how, and to what effect civilians engage in atrocity prevention.

Civilian communities are often presumed to be passive victims or bystanders when threatened by mass atrocities. Our research finds this assumption to be false. Civil society actors respond to threats of atrocities in many ways, even in the face of significant constraints. They are more diverse and their roles are more complicated than is often acknowledged. A greater understanding of and interaction with local civilian communities is required to prevent mass atrocities.

The research project examined the following questions:

• How frequently do civil society actors and civilian communities take different types of actions to help prevent and mitigate mass atrocities?

• What factors explain the variation in the effectiveness of civilian-led efforts to prevent and mitigate mass atrocities?

• How can external actors—particularly foreign assistance donor organizations—effectively support civilian-led efforts to prevent and mitigate mass atrocities?

Read a three-page summary of key findings from the entire project here and each of the research papers below.

Case studies 

Three case studies and a synthesis paper examine the range of actions civilians can take to prevent and respond to atrocities. They were conducted in partnership with three in-country research organizations and overseen by Leonard and Sophie Davis Fellow Zachariah Mampilly. 

• “Building Relationships, Building Peace: The Role of Civilians and Civil Society in Preventing Mass Atrocities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo” (PDF), Congo Research Group

• “Preventing Atrocities in a State Unwilling to Address its Past: The Role of Civilians and Civil Society in Sri Lanka” (PDF), Anushani Alagarajah, Dharsha Jegatheeswaran, and Laxana Paskaran, Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research

• “Strategic Peacebuilding: The Role of Civilians and Civil Society in Preventing Mass Atrocities in South Sudan” (PDF), Nyathon H. Mai, The Sudd Institute

• Synthesis: “The Role of Civilians and Civil Society in Preventing Mass Atrocities” (PDF), Zachariah Mampilly with Daniel Solomon, Anushani Alagarajah, Dharsha Jegatheeswaran, Nyathon H. Mai, and Congo Research Group

Quantitative analysis 

This cross-national quantitative analysis assesses the relationship between civil society and mass atrocities. 

• “A Source of Escalation or a Source of Restraint? Whether and How Civil Society Affect Mass Killings” (PDF), Erica Chenoweth and Evan Perkoski

Policy analysis

This paper examines how foreign assistance donor organizations can best support civilian-led actions to prevent and mitigate mass atrocities.

• “[How] Do External Actors Support Civilian-led Atrocity Prevention?” (PDF), Riva Kantowitz and Kyra Fox

Learn more

• Read a rapporteur's report (PDF) from a June 2019 workshop with research partners and external scholars, by Jamie Wise

• Read a rapporteur's report (PDF) from a March 2018 workshop discussing the state of research and kicking off the project, by Daniel Solomon and Mollie Zapata

• Read the project description (PDF)

For more information about this project, contact Daniel Solomon at dsolomon@ushmm.org.