Amy Butorac Gabrovsek | 2026 I.S. Symposium

Name: Amy Butorac Gabrovsek
Title: If I Look at the Mass I Will Never Act: News Media Format and Public Sensitization to the Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan
Majors: Political Science; Global Media & Digital Studies
Advisors: Kent Kille; Gregory Shaya

As global access to information continues to expand, audiences are constantly exposed to images of war, displacement, and human suffering from around the world. Yet despite this increased visibility, we are failing to translate this exposure into emotional engagement and sustained action. In fact, studies show that we are becoming increasingly desensitized or emotionally withdrawn from crises due to over-exposure. This project examines how the format of news media—specifically narrative-driven articles versus reportorial video segments—shapes public emotional engagement with humanitarian crises and human rights abuses, using the ongoing conflict in Sudan as a central case study. Through an experimental survey design, the study finds that while both media formats significantly increase empathy, neither proves statistically superior in doing so; however, qualitative responses reveal that personal, narrative storytelling fosters deeper emotional connection, greater reflective awareness, and stronger motivation to act. These findings challenge the assumption that more exposure alone drives engagement, instead highlighting how the presentation of suffering influences whether audiences connect, disengage, or feel overwhelmed. At a time when crises risk fading into indifference amid an endless news cycle, this research underscores the importance of storytelling as more than a vehicle for information. Ultimately, the study suggests that rethinking how crises are communicated is essential for preserving empathy and encouraging meaningful public response.

Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 4, 2026.