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Rhetorical Strategies in Gaza GoFundMe Campaigns: How Pathos, Ethos, and Logos Drive Crowdfunding Success

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Abstract

Rhetorical appeals play a crucial role in the success of crowdfunding campaigns, especially those addressing humanitarian crises such as those addressing the situation in Gaza. This study employs Aristotle’s classical rhetorical framework—ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic)—to analyse 983 Gaza-related GoFundMe campaigns. By combining sentiment analysis, named entity recognition, and text classification, the research identifies patterns in persuasive strategies that influence donor behavior. While emotional appeals are widely utilized to evoke empathy and urgency, the findings highlight the limitations of relying solely on pathos. Successful campaigns are distinguished by their ability to balance emotional resonance with clear logical reasoning and credible endorsements, fostering trust and motivation among donors. By analyzing the interplay of these rhetorical strategies, the research offers practical guidance for crafting compelling narratives that enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian crowdfunding campaigns, ensuring greater donor engagement and meaningful impact.

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Acknowledgements

The author extends her appreciation to the Deanship of Research and Graduate Studies at King Khalid University for funding this work through Small Group Research Project under grant number RGP1/137/46.

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  1. College of Languages and Translation, King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Eman Alzaanin

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Alzaanin, E. Rhetorical Strategies in Gaza GoFundMe Campaigns: How Pathos, Ethos, and Logos Drive Crowdfunding Success. Corpus Pragmatics (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41701-025-00194-5

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  • DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s41701-025-00194-5

Keywords

  • Crowdfunding communication
  • Rhetorical appeals
  • Humanitarian campaigns
  • Donor behavior
  • Ethos
  • Pathos
  • Logos

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