Jordan
Women, Tradition and Revolution
While Western discourse on Arab women tends to focus on their victimization within the context of strongly patriarchal and religious structures, outsiders often know far less about the varied and creative ways in which Arab women have sought and maintained agency for them, their families, communities, and nations. This seminar explores the dynamic roles of women in contemporary Arab society and focuses on the challenges and achievements of Jordanian women leaders. From its internationally recognized Queen Rania to the country’s ongoing dilemma over how to deal with so-called crimes of honor, Jordan, and its vibrant capital, Amman, provide a unique setting to ponder how Arab women—Muslim and Christian, religious and secular, modern and traditional, rich and poor—are defining and redefining their place in society.
Through lectures with prominent female academics; panels and meetings with politicians, activists, artists, and businesswomen; and site visits to different economic development projects and to social, professional, and political institutions, seminar participants have the opportunity to probe many of the interesting paradoxes defining women’s lives in modern Jordan. Participants will gain a sound awareness of the challenges and achievements of Jordanian women and a uniquely Jordanian framework to challenge Western assumptions about the nature of women’s lives in the Arab world.
Location
Amman