Contention, Collaboration, and Subversion: “Iddir” Funerary Associations as Actors in Addis Ababa’s Urban Development

Abstract This paper explores the role of iddirs—Ethiopia’s indigenous mutual aid associations—in urban development in Addis Ababa. While iddirs are well known for their social support functions, their engagement in infrastructure, service delivery, and neighborhood improvement remains under-researched. Drawing on five contrasting case studies and an expanded theoretical framework, the paper investigates how iddirs navigate state–civil society relations under authoritarian conditions. The analysis builds on Mitlin’s ( Environment and Urbanization, 20 (2), 339–360, 2008) typology of civil society strategies—collaboration, contention, and subversion—and extends it by introducing a fourth strategy: non-engagement. To explain the conditions under which different strategies emerge, the paper integrates ecosystem analysis, highlighting the importance of legal regimes, funding access, trust, and network embeddedness. Findings show that iddirs are not merely reactive or dependent actors; they strategically shape urban outcomes through flexible, locally grounded practices. Their engagement with the state is often contingent, negotiated, and shaped by broader institutional constraints. While some iddirs collaborate with local authorities, others resist co-optation or opt for silence to protect autonomy. The paper concludes that strategic flexibility, rather than formal institutionalization, offers a more realistic basis for understanding and supporting civil society action in contexts of limited political openness.