Topics Include:

• Contemporary History of Land Rights and Resource Management: Jordan’s important geographic location has caused land to change hands since antiquity. How do political agendas, ethnic claims, land-use practices, and resource management strategies determine who has rights and access to scarce and valuable resources? How are environmental challenges exacerbated by the scarcity of water supply, deterioration of water resources, land contamination, desertification, mismanagement of land use and air pollution.

• Inter-Ethnic Conflict and Cultural Identity: How have Christian, Muslim and Judaeic identity affected settlement patterns, political structures, and domestic as well as regional conflict? What are the markers of identity that determine one’s cultural identity and how are diverse groups differentiating themselves from the “other”? Who is claiming Indigenous status and what sway do indigenous rights play in land disputes and conflict?

• Issues of Gender: What are the dynamics of women’s civil and political rights in Jordan, with specific emphasis on the legal and institutional framework and its implication for gender equality and women’s empowerment? How does the conversation around gender equality compare to Western norms? What are the comparative differences between urban and rural perspectives on this topic?

• Peace-Building Strategies: What is the scope of peace-building in Jordan in relation to conflict prevention and humanitarian and development assistance? How has international and women’s participation played a role? How does Jordan factor into the “Arab Spring?”

• Cultural Survival and Modernity: In the past decade, tourism and associated development has greatly increased, attracting investment capital and a cognizance of the need for harmony between economic development and heritage preservation. Will the rights, economic future, and the dignity of the indigenous populations be equally assured? How can Bedouin groups navigate the inherent tension between being a “traditional people” in “modern times”?