Innovation in Protest Strategies of Ethiopian Immigrants’ Organizations in Israel

Abstract

Since the 1990s, organizations formed by Israelis of Ethiopian origin (IEO) have criticized the government’s policy toward them. This article deals with the development of, and innovation in, those organizations’ activities. Our research question looks at the elements of innovation that helped these organizations improve the effectiveness of their work with the government and in the public sphere. We base our study on interviews with IEO activists who participated in the community’s protests in the 1990s, 2015, and 2020. Our theoretical overview incorporates a global perspective on innovation in policymaking and the effects of NGO networks on government policy. The article describes the development and innovation of NGOs in Israel alongside similar cases in other countries.