Modeling Genocide: An Agent-Based Model of Bystander Motivations and Societal Restraints

Genocide does not occur within an isolated range of the societal spectrum; rather, it is the outcome of destructive processes that reach from elite governmental offices to the civilian bystander–and beyond. This research applies an agent-based computational model to the problem of identity-based conflict, exploring the dynamics of bystander resistance and its impact on outcomes. Macro-level conditions can lead to difficulties that affect the micro-level, psychological states of people living within a society. This model establishes a connection between these macro- and micro-states, seeking to better understand, explain, and quantify how the motivations and choices of bystanders impact the likelihood of genocide. Early results show that the model reproduces expected behavioral patterns, and also reveals the sensitivity of a genocidal outcome to in-group bystander willingness to intervene in behalf of out-group members.