Defiant
Brian Dooley presents *Defiant*, a collection of eleven true stories about ordinary people across Europe who became unlikely human rights defenders. Against a backdrop of increasing repression, the book explores how individuals and communities have confronted corruption, violence, discrimination, environmental threats, and the criminalization of helping others.
The stories include a former Ukrainian violinist driving an ambulance near the eastern front, a Polish family sheltering migrants in a border forest, and a Turkish scientist exposing toxic contamination endangering children. Dooley also profiles efforts to address sexual violence in the Czech Republic, assist refugees along the Balkan route, oppose destructive mining in Bosnia and Northern Ireland, challenge homophobia in Poland, counter Russian propaganda in the Baltic states, and overturn wrongful terrorism convictions in England. The event emphasizes how musicians, scientists, lawyers, neighbors, and other people without plans to become activists can use courage, persistence, and moral clarity to resist repression and defend others.
Dooley is a longtime human rights activist who has worked with defenders in revolutions, armed conflicts, and conditions of severe repression. He is an Honorary Professor of Practice at Queen’s University Belfast, a Visiting Scholar at University College London, and a Senior Advisor at Human Rights First. From 2020 through 2023, he served as Senior Advisor to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. He received the University of Oslo Human Rights Award in 2025 and has written several books about civil rights and the Northern Ireland conflict.
When: Friday, October 16, 2026
Showtime: 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Politics and Prose at The Wharf, 610 Water St SW, Washington, DC 20024
Tickets: Free, with first-come, first-served seating
Featured author: Brian Dooley
Run time: Not specified
Ages: Not specified
Accessibility: Accommodation and accessibility requests may be sent to events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. The venue will make an effort to accommodate requests made up to the event time.
Related book: *Defiant: Profiles of Resistance* is scheduled for publication by Humanitas Media in October 2026. The hardcover is listed at $27.00 and has publication date October 13, 2026.