The Axiological Drivers to Solidarity Mobilisation in the ‘Refugee Crisis’: Between Universal Value Orientations and Moral Commitments

Abstract

This chapter investigates the role of axiological drivers in solidarity activism with refugees. It examines how universal value orientations denote normative and relational orientations of care and posits that refugee solidarity activism is driven by the activists’ universal caring orientations to all vulnerable groups. Overall, the chapter illustrates how universal value orientations and moral commitments shape and orient political activism with refugees based on common ideational solidarity projects. These conclusions are based on the analysis of data from a cross-national EU survey conducted in 8-EU countries between 2016 and 2017. Findings substantiate that axiological drivers, namely, universal value orientations and moral commitments, increase the predicted probability for engagement in refugee solidarity activism. Lastly, this chapter supports that in addition to attitudinal affinity and organisational embeddedness, refugee solidarity activism is a product of axiological drivers.

Some Refugees Welcome? Frame Disputes between Micro-Cohorts in the Refugee Solidarity Movement

“…In this scenario, the critique of differential treatment of refugees will be compartmentalized to other movement fora less vital to the coordination of humanitarian relief and help. This is done to avoid jeopardizing the humanitarian operation central to the movement which would violate the central moral cause of the movement, helping the refugees they solidarize with (Fernández G. G. 2023;Toubøl 2017).…”