4. “Our Table”: Between Activism and Business in Dublin, Ireland

The organizational dynamics of refugee entrepreneurship in restrictive asylum regimes are illustrated by the trajectory of Ellie Kisyombe, a Malawian entrepreneur, and her gastronomical pop-up venture in Dublin, Ireland. Both the organizational constraints and the resources in this case are traced to the specific legal, social and political situation of asylum seekers and refugees in Ireland, while Ellie’s pre-flight biographical experiences and early socialization may explain her prominence in both entrepreneurship and activism within this community and beyond. At a more general level, the case raises the question of how the success of entrepreneurial ventures should be assessed in light of the concurring metrics of non-profit community engagement, political activism, professionalism and entrepreneurship.