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George Washington University

Publication Date

Spring 2015

Program Name

Jordan: Modernization and Social Change

Abstract

Jordan has become known as the home for refugees from the crises that have occurred along its borders. Several waves of large groups of refugees have come to Jordan: 1948, 1967, 1991, 2003, and 2011-present, with copious amounts of refugees coming from different surrounding countries to Jordan. The Hashemite Kingdom is ruled through keeping relations between the Bedouin tribes that have lived in the area from the founding of the country. This has led to the denial of equality for former refugees who obtained citizenship as well as the other refugee populations in areas such as work and education. As such, there have been clashes between the refugees and the people who are descended from the original tribes in Jordan. These clashes have not taken a violent nature, but rather a clash of culture. This paper explores whether the identities of the Jordanians have been affected by the identities of the refugees who have come to reside in Jordan for the long term through examining the development of Jordanian identity with research and interviews with “Jordanian-Jordanians.” The conclusion of this study finds that with the influx of refugees, the Jordanian identity has strengthened. This study helps to continue to research conducted in looking how identities are created, strengthened, and weakened.

Disciplines

Civic and Community Engagement | Community-Based Research | Demography, Population, and Ecology | Family, Life Course, and Society | Inequality and Stratification | Islamic World and Near East History | Near and Middle Eastern Studies | Race and Ethnicity | Regional Sociology | Sociology | Sociology of Culture | Work, Economy and Organizations

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