Defiant: Profiles of Resistance

DEFIANT: Profiles of Resistance

By Brian Dooley

Eleven accounts of ordinary Europeans who became unlikely human rights defenders, including a former violinist in Ukraine driving an ambulance at the eastern front of the war on Ukraine; a family in eastern Poland secretly sheltering migrants hunted in the border forest; and a Turkish scientist risking prison to expose toxic contamination threatening children’s health. None of these people set out to become activists. They were musicians, scientists, and neighbors who saw injustice and acted to stop it.

Publication Date: October 13, 2026

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Praise for DEFIANT: Profiles of Resistance

Here are true stories we need in these difficult times –– stories of hope and kindness, of people taking risks to help others. They show you don’t need qualifications or much experience to make a difference, just the will to act, and a refusal to accept injustice.”

Dooley’s remarkable book responds to those feeling powerless in the face of oppression. It’s a profound reminder of what we can all do to counter injustice."

read an excerpt from the book:

“We’ll be watching,” the sergeant said, pointing at a video monitor inside Camp Echo’s guard booth. “For your protection.” The monitor showed a grainy image of a table and chairs in a small room. To the side of the room was a tiny cell, partially hidden behind a metal mesh wall. I was about to have my first meeting with a Guantanamo Bay detainee in a room just like that.

“You have any questions before you go in?” the sergeant asked.

I certainly did. Donald Rumsfeld, the secretary of defense, had said that the detainees were “among the most dangerous, best-trained vicious killers on the face of the earth.” President George W. Bush had said that they had been “trying to kill Americans.” General Richard Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had said they would chew through hydraulic cables to bring down airplanes. I didn’t buy that kind of rhetoric wholesale, but it wasn’t hard to imagine that there were some nasty characters at Guantanamo. It was impossible not to wonder if I was about to meet one

About The Author

Brian Dooley is a longtime human rights activist specializing in supporting Human Rights Defenders working amid revolutions, armed conflict, and 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 to 2023, Dooley served as Senior Advisor to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. In 2025, he received the University of Oslo Human Rights Award. He is the author of several books on civil rights and the Northern Ireland conflict. His latest book, DEFIANT: Profiles of Resistance, will be published by Humanitas Media in October 2026.

Because Real Stories Create Real Impact

At Humanitas Media, we believe storytelling is a powerful force for empathy, education, and transformation. Our books bring human rights issues to life through voices that are personal, emotionally resonant, and often overlooked.

Whether grounded in lived experience or creative expression, each book invites readers to see the world more clearly—and to care more deeply. These stories spark conversation, challenge assumptions, and help build a more just and compassionate future.

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