Global Governance and the Challenges of Transnational Advocacy: The Coptic Minority in Diaspora

Abstract

As a diaspora community, Copts in Canada and the US have seized political opportunities and engaged in vigorous activism, resulting in the establishment of a plethora of organizations. However, despite their efforts, most Coptic organizations have experienced limited influence. This article, focusing on Copts as a previously overlooked immigrant minority, aims to explain the disparity in their transnational mobilization efforts. The article contributes to the scholarly understanding of how social movement theories (SMT) can be applied to indigenous persecuted religious minorities and their mobilization in the diaspora. Through the incorporation of various methodologies and diverse approaches rooted in SMT, the article seeks to present the fundamental advocacy challenges encountered by the Coptic diaspora.