Refining resistance : responses in Auschwitz

Analysis of "resistance" during the Holocaust is severely circumscribed by a mainstream definition of resistance which is limited to revolts, rebellions, or other overt acts of defiance against an oppressor's will. This study is based on the premise that resistance is better described as a continuum ranging from behavioral acquiescence to revolts. By refining the definition of resistance, it becomes possible to study any acts by the victims of Auschwitz which had the intended effect of defying the Nazi oppressors' goals. The clarification of this definition diminishes the perception of victim passivity in conditions of extreme oppression--including but not limited to the Holocaust. Furthermore, the strict separation of people by sex in Auschwitz provides a somewhat unique opportunity to study how women and men vary in their social responses to oppression.