Logos, refugee advertisement and humanitarian ethics: a case study of Syrian refugees

The Syrian crisis in 2011 transformed Syria into the world's primary refugee-producing country, dispersing millions across various countries. Humanitarian NGOs tasked with delivering assistance to Syrian refugees faced a critical dilemma; while their mission revolves around assisting refugees and alleviating their suffering, they must also incessantly pursue financial support to sustain vital aid programs. Consequently, several humanitarian organizations have found themselves compromising certain humanitarian principles, whether partially or entirely, as they exploited the Syrian refugee crisis to raise funds from donors. By employing a qualitative methodological approach and the deontological theory of obligation, this paper explores how well humanitarian organizations comply with humanitarian ethics – focusing on the principle of dignity – by analyzing the excessive use of logos and refugee advertisement during the Syrian refugee crisis. The findings suggest that while humanitarian organizations prioritize and remain focused on their duty to provide aid, they often overlook the moral implications of their activities, particularly the dignity of the refugees they serve. Given the growing global displacement crisis, this paper provides critical insights for policymakers and humanitarian actors, urging a more ethical and effective approach to governing refugee crises and migration in various contexts.