Media Portrayal of Child Refugees in Photographs during Two Distinct Historical Events: The Nakba in 1948 and the Syrian Civil War in 2015

Abstract

This paper investigates the media portrayal of child refugees in photographs during two distinct historical events: The Nakba in 1948 and the Syrian Civil War in 2015. It focuses on the evolution in representations of child refugees in journalistic photographs at different times. The study draws on various sources, including archival photojournalism and academic literature, to analyze photographs from these two periods. The 1948 photographs, mostly of Palestinian children, reflect themes of vulnerability and disempowerment amidst the Nakba, a significant event in Palestinian and Middle Eastern history. These images often portray refugee children in the context of their families, highlighting the human ramifications of conflict and displacement. In contrast, the 2015 Syrian Civil War photos, particularly of Alyan Kurdi and Omran Daqneesh, display a stark difference in media representation. These images, capturing individual suffering, garnered global attention, prompting political and humanitarian reactions. The paper argues that while the Kurdi photographs temporarily disrupted degrading discourses, they alone cannot fully depict the depth of the crisis. The paper concludes by noting significant shifts in media portrayals of refugee children over time, emphasizing the importance of both humanitarian and political perspectives for understanding these representations. This analysis contributes to the discourse on the media portrayal of refugees, highlighting the impact of visual media in shaping public perception and political response.