Primordial ties vis-à-vis citizenship: The particularity of the Jordanian city

Abdel Hakim K. Al Husban, Mahmood Na'Amneh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper seeks to investigate the vital role played by the primordial attachments which are based on ties of blood, race, language, region, and religion in shaping the Jordanian society and identity. In a society like Jordan, which is labelled as a tribal society and is largely produced and reproduced by primordial loyalties and attachments, concepts of the individual and citizenship seem almost non-existent. Throughout this paper, it is argued that unlike the European city, the Jordanian city has played a crucial role in producing, reproducing, maintaining and reinforcing tribal affiliations and identities. Moreover, the paper illustrates the essentialist mosaic and segmentary models of collective identity which are adopted by Western scholars in particular when studying the Arab world including the Jordanian society.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)57-64
Number of pages8
JournalOrient
Volume51
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 2010
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Development

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