Program
Introduction:
Jordan's
Social History Program was launched by Al-Urdun Al-Jadid Research
Center (UJRC) in 1996 to raise further attention to the study of social
movements and the history of the development of non-governmental organizations
and municipalities, including educational, cultural and parliamentary
institutions, and to compensate for the lack of concentration of historical
sources on the political aspects of Jordan's contemporary history.
This program highlights the roots of Jordanian civil society organizations,
examines their specific history, and paves the way to develop the
field of historical studies, which in the past, suffered the absence
of academic freedoms, and the appropriate political environment to
allow the release of historical publications, which draw reconsiderations
to the official "historical evidence." The field of historical studies
also suffered due to the lack of historical books, which reflect the
official perspective.
The program sets sights on broadening the field of research to include
the important periods in Jordan's history, and to illustrate their
backgrounds and social reflections, and to shed the light on the role
of the various organizations that contributed to the formation, development,
and character identification of the Jordanian society. The program
also aims to focus on the social political history of important epochs
in the Kingdom's history, which have not been given enough attention
by historical references.
The program conducts an educational conference held once every two
years. The First International Conference on Jordan's social history
was held between 24 and 26 March 1998, and the Second International
Conference was held between 3 and 5 July 2000.
Program Objectives
1. Preparing an agenda to conduct research in the fields of
social and verbal history by providing communication tools, seminars,
and networks that would allow historians, sociologists and researchers
in and outside Jordan, to cooperate, develop dialogues, exchange experiences,
and conduct joint researches.
2. Conducting studies on the history of various social movements
(women, students, youth, laborers, etc.), the history of ethnic groups,
the history of private and public organizations, political movements
that are still unstudied, demographic movements, settlements, urbanization,
and the emergence of cities. Also broadening the fields of historical
studies to include culture, architecture, photographs, lifestyles,
and trends in consumption.
3. Encouraging the new wave of historians to explore and discover
the latest sources for historical studies.
4. Publishing completed researches in the frame of Jordan's
social history in order to ensure historical knowledge on Jordan,
and provide higher education students and others with the latest research
resources, and encourage them to maintain their interest in developing
new researches in the fields that are given marginal or no attention.
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Program
publications
1. Studies on Jordan's Social History Proceedings of a Conference
(24-26/3/1998), Sindbad Publishing House, 2002. 616 pages, medium
size (in Arabic and English).
2. The Perpetrators of Life: Contemplations of a Jordanian Soldier)
Butros Hamarneh, Sindbad Publishing House, 2001 280 pages, small size.
3. The Government of Suleiman Nabulsi 1956/1957 Proceedings of a Workshop,
Sindbad Publishing House, 1999. 232 pages, medium size.
4. Amman: Reality and Expectations Proceedings of a Conference, Sindbad
Publishing House, 1996. 686 pages, medium size.
5. Memoirs to my children Munif Razzaz, Sindbad Publishing House,
1995. 128 pages, medium size.
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Program Activities:
Third International Conference on Jordan's Social History
Amman, Jordan 3 - 5 May 2002
1. Workshop: State and Nation: Identity & Citizenship 30/7/2000,
Al-Urdun Al-Jadid Research Center's Hall.
2. Conference: 2nd International Conference on Jordan's Social
History 3-5/7/2000, Jerusalem International Hotel, Amman.
3. Seminar: Jordan during the 1948 war and beyond 24/5/1998,
The Royal Cultural Center
4. Conference: 1st International Conference on Jordan's Social
History 24-26/3/1998, University of Jordan.
5. Seminar: The Anniversary of Nabulsi's Government 30-31/8/1997,
The Royal Cultural Center.
6. Seminar:
Al-Salt: Reality and Prospects 29-30/7/1997, The Community College
of Al-Salt.
7. Conference:
Amman: Reality and Expectations (Issues on culture, environment
and construction) 27-29/6/1995, The Royal Cultural Center.
8. Seminar: The 80th Anniversary of the Great Arab Revolt 21-22/6/1996,
The Royal Cultural Center.
Upcoming Activities:
1. The 3rd International Conference on Jordan's Social History:
Jordan's Social History Program will organize the 3rd International
Conference on 3-5 May 2002 in Amman- Jordan. Participants in this
Conference will include researchers and university professors from
Jordan, the United States of America, Britain and Egypt. The Conference
will have three major focuses:
i. The autobiographies and memoirs as one source to read social
history of Jordan.
ii. The Jordanian Media: Its establishment and role in the
public sphere. iii. New Research in Jordan's Social History.
*For further information please contact Miss Tamara Nsour.
2. Workshop:
Jordan is a Pluralistic Society Jordan's Social History Program
is organizing a workshop entitled "Jordan is a Pluralistic Society"
on the 17th of June 2002 in Amman. The workshops will be based on
the following themes:
1. Developing the Sarcassian and Chechen Organizations, and their
role in changing the local Jordanian societies.
2. The Society of Kurds and Armenians in Jordan, and their
Organizations.
3. The Druz and Syrians in Jordan, their history and organizations.
4. Nongovernmental organizations in refugee camps and Palestinian
family ties in Jordan.
5. Christian Organizations in Jordan and their educational
institutes.
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The Advisory Board of the Social History Program
The Advisory Board includes the following university professors
and researchers in Jordan's Social History:
1. Mr. Suleiman Al Musa: Historian
2. Mohammad Adnan Al Bakhit: Professor and Head of Bilad Al-Sham
Committee, University of Jordan.
3. Saleh Hamarneh, University Professor of History, University
of Jordan.
4. Ibrahim Othman, Professor of Sociology, University of Jordan.
5. Ali Mahaftha, Professor of History, University of Jordan.
6. Dr. Ra'ouf Abu Jaber, Historian.
7. Dr. Abdel Aziz Mahmoud, Head of the Samarkand Museum, Al
Al-Bait University.
8. Dr. Hind Abu Sha'er, History Department, Al Al-Bait University.
9. Mr. Hani Hourani, Director General, Al-Urdun Al-Jadid Research
Center.
10. Mr. Hussein Abu Rumman, Executive Director, Al-Urdun Al-Jadid
Research Center.
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Contact Information
Miss Tamara Nsour
Program Coordinator
Social History Program
Al Urdun Al Jadid Research Center
Tel: 00962-6-5533112/3/4
Fax: 00962-6-5533118
E-mail: [email protected].
Website: www.ujrc-jordan.org
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