Home Institution

University of Denver

Publication Date

Fall 2014

Program Name

Jordan: Modernization and Social Change

Abstract

The city of Amman, Jordan manages a plethora of archaeological sites that date back several millennia. Unfortunately, with the limited resources the government has at its disposal, the city is unable to conserve the sites in the best way possible. Because of this, a public disconnect between the value of history and attempts that are made to preserve it has emerged. This study explored the effects of historical conservation in Jordanian society. More specifically, the study focused on the relationship between how the public and the government perceives historical conservation efforts in Jordan. This study attempted to answer two research questions: to what extent does the Jordanian public value the heritage and historical conservation efforts in Jordan and to what extent does the Jordanian government value the history and conservation efforts in Jordan. In order to answer these questions, both qualitative and quantitative collection methods were used. Qualitative data used for analysis was collected through interviews with historical conservationists, professors and government officials, observations discerning the behavior of Jordanians at sites, and a mixture of literature and material culture review on the topic of historical conservation. Additionally, a survey distributed to University of Jordan undergraduates was used to analyze the public’s perspective of historical conservation. This study anticipated some observable levels of disrespect from the Jordanian community towards historical sites and conservation methods because of the government’s inability to educate the surrounding community on this topic.

Disciplines

Anthropology | Archaeological Anthropology | Civic and Community Engagement | Historic Preservation and Conservation | History of Religion | Islamic World and Near East History | Near and Middle Eastern Studies | Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Share

Article Location

 
COinS