The Sociology and Legal Studies Winter Speaker Series presents: Dr. Ryan Broll

Abstract: Traditional bullying and cyberbullying (“bullying”) remain pervasive challenges for youth, with well-documented and long-lasting associations with numerous negative psychosocial outcomes. Yet not all youth who are bullied experience such negative outcomes; instead, some youth demonstrate resilience. While the adverse effects of peer victimization have been widely studied, less attention has been paid to the processes and resources that enable some victims to ‘bounce back’ from these experiences. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) social-ecological theory, this study explores how victims of bullying cultivate resilience across ecological contexts through a sociological lens. 

Data come from 129 retrospective semi-structured interviews conducted with Canadian emerging adults who experienced bullying during elementary, middle, or high school. The findings reveal that most participants bounced back after bullying victimization, with resilience emerging through complex, multi-level interactions. This study underscores the importance of conceptualizing resilience not merely as an individual characteristic but as a dynamic process embedded within a social-ecological system. The implications of these findings will be discussed. 

Bio: Ryan Broll is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, where he also teaches and supervises students in the Criminal Justice and Public Policy (CJPP) BA and MA programs. Dr. Broll's research focuses on the well-being of children and youth who experience bullying or cyberbullying. His current research takes a strengths-based approach and addresses the individual, social, and cultural factors that promote resilience in the aftermath of bullying and cyberbullying. He also studies the correlates and consequences of bullying and cyberbullying involvement, and how adults prevent and respond to bullying and cyberbullying.