Digital diasporas and governance in semi-authoritarian states: the case of the Egyptian Copts
Abstract
This article explores the potential role of diasporas and information technology (IT) in fostering good governance in semi-authoritarian states. Following a review of the literature on good governance and information technology, the case of the Egyptian Copt community and its diaspora is explored, focusing on the activities of the U.S. Copt Association. It is argued that, whether or not it is an explicit objective, the U.S. Copt Association is supporting improved and more democratic governance in Egypt. The case confirms that heterogeneous networks of communication and people can promote good governance, even for the socially excluded and disempowered in a weakly penetrated state. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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External diasporic organizations have been shown, in some cases, to improve the quality of governance in home states.
“The interventions of external diasporic organizations have also been shown, in some cases, to improve the quality of governance in home states.”
From Non‐state authoritarianism and diaspora politics (2020) · cites this paper as Brinkerhoff 2005
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“The use of ICTs also facilitates the formation of ‘digital diasporas’ with political identities and concerns (Bernal, 2005, 2014; Brinkerhoff, 2004, 2009; Everett, 2009; Peel, 2010).”
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Brinkerhoff, J. M. (2012) · International migration (Geneva. Print) · doi:10.1111/j.1468-2435.2009.00542.x · Cited by 132 · see citing works
“The activities of the US Copts Association (see Brinkerhoff, 2005), which advocates for improved quality of life and human rights protection for Coptic Christians in Egypt, has been characterized as “four guys and a fax machine” (Rowe, 2001).”
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“Brinkerhoff (2005) states that the Internet facilitates the expression of liberal values, such as individualism and freedom of speech, either through anonymity or access.”
BackgroundTsourapas, G. (2018) · Mediterranean Politics · doi:10.1080/13629395.2018.1511299 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
“diaspora engagement policies in Syria (Moss, 2018), Morocco (Dalmasso, 2018), Eritrea (Hirt & Mohammad, 2017), Egypt (Brinkerhoff, 2005; Tsourapas, 2018a), Tunisia (Natter, 2015), and elsewhere.”
BackgroundEgyptian e-diaspora: Migrant websites without a network?
Severo, M., & Zuolo, E. (2012) · doi:10.1177/0539018412456772 · Cited by 18
“What unifies the Copts is the need to maintain the link with the homeland in order to promote the cause of Christians in Egypt and to sustain them against the government’s abuses (Boles, 2001).11 A study by Jennifer Brinkerhoff (2005) examines the role played by information and communication technologies in the diaspo…”
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“support these reports, and have even worked more subtly behind the scenes in Cairo to support enforcement of Egypt’s own laws (see Brainard and Brinkerhoff 2006; Brinkerhoff 2005).”
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“…identity, the political activists use it to establish an alternative source of information about the life of the Copts in Egypt and to emphasise the issues that the Egyptian media chooses to ignore or which it represents in a biased and incorrect way, as the activists see it (Brinkerhoff 2005).”
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“Many other specialists have studied specific areas of diaspora-engagement policies, not only including economics and migration/citizenship, but also other topics such as specific extraterritorial security measures by authoritarian and semiauthoritarian states (Brinkerhoff, 2005; Glasius, 2018).”
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Zaky, P., & Fahmy, S. S. (2026) · Online Media and Global Communication · doi:10.1515/omgc-2025-0052
“The digital presence of immigrant Copts also serves as a space for discussing actions to promote human rights for Copts in Egypt, such as the U.S. Copts Association, which provides a platform for the preservation of cultural identity (Brinkerho ff 2005).”
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“Ethnicities, 13(3), pp. 338–358; Jennifer M. Brinkerhoff (2005) Digital Diasporas and Governance in Semi-Authoritarian States: The Case of the Egyptian Copts, Public Administration and Development, 25(3), pp. 193–204; Gerasimos Tsourapas (2020) Theorizing State-Diaspora Relations in the Middle…”
BackgroundA Pandora box effect to state asset management reform in DIY Yogyakarta
Mardiasmo, D., & Barnes, P. H. (2015) · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-09507-3_99
- Authors
- Brinkerhoff, J. M.
- Affiliations
- George Washington University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Brinkerhoff, Jennifer M.
- Venue
- Public Administration and Development
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2005
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 193-204
- ISSN
- 0271-2075 (ISSN-L)
- 1099-162X
- OpenAlex
- W2003732687
- Cited by
- 34
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 5 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Public Administration and Development (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of State
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Demography › Diaspora, migration, transnational identity
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › E-Government and Public Services
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › African Studies and Ethnography
- Keywords
- digital diaspora, good governance, information technology, diaspora networks, democratic governance, social exclusion
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