The Constructive Influence of the Homeland in Refugee Organizing: Darfurian Asylum Seekers in Israel

Refugee community organizations (RCOs) typically engage with hostland governments, non-profit organizations, and international agencies. To do this, RCOs adopt norms and standards valued by hostland actors. Research assumes that this engagement should be one of the central functions of RCOs; it focuses on the ways in which these agencies influence RCOs including how to make this relationship more productive. Yet, these agencies do not have a meaningful influence in the case study examined here—Sudanese Darfurian RCOs in Israel. Tracing community organizing for over a decade, this article demonstrates that norms from the homeland have become increasingly influential. Simultaneously, there has been a tremendous amount of organizational stability. This article argues that adoption of management structures which are familiar and trusted from the homeland can enhance organizational credibility. This, in turn, facilitates relatively high levels of organizational longevity and satisfaction amongst constituents.