Dreaming of Change

by Droeber, Julia

• ISBN13: 9789004146341
• ISBN10: 9004146342
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-10-01
• Publisher: Brill Academic Pub

Summary

This anthropological monograph focuses on the everyday experiences of young, highly educated women in contemporary Jordan. It carefully analyses their powerful contributions to social change as well as the strategies they employ in dealing with the problems they generally face. In their struggle to find recognition, religion (Islam and Christianity) often plays a major part and helps them to empower themselves, which is also reflected in this account. The study discusses family relationships, social networks, gender constructions, religiousness, and women s roles in various social spheres. It sheds light on how these young women actively influence transformations in their society and re-negotiate their own and other people s social position, and how they, in turn, are highly influenced (and often restricted) by the socio-cultural environment in their efforts towards change.

Author Biography

Julia Droeber Ph.D. (2003) in Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter, is Lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Dundee, Scotland

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Note on the Transliteration of Arabic Terms	xi
Introduction	1	(36)
Behind the Scenes: Historical, Political, and Economic Aspects of Jordan	37	(20)
Experiences of Historical, Political, and Economic Aspects	38	(3)
Jordan, Palestine, and the Palestinians	41	(4)
Domestic Developments of the 1990s	45	(2)
Foreign Aid and Remittances	47	(3)
The Gulf War and its Aftermath	50	(4)
Dramatic Transformations	54	(3)
Of Women, Men, and Other Agents: Gender Roles and their Discontent	57	(36)
Femininities and Masculinities in Jordan	58	(12)
Changing Attitudes Concerning Women in Jordan	70	(7)
Honour, Reputation, Gossip, and Harassment	77	(9)
Confronting Stress	86	(7)
Ties that Bind: Family Relationships	93	(50)
Conceptualising ``Family'' in the Middle East	94	(2)
Families as Networks	96	(4)
Families as Resources	100	(11)
Families and Relationality	111	(7)
Relationships Between Mothers and Daughters	118	(11)
Relationships Between Fathers and Daughters	129	(7)
Families and the Socialisation of Young People	136	(7)
Coming of Age in Jordan: Problems of Young People	143	(40)
Conceptualising ``Adolescence'' and ``Young Adulthood''	144	(5)
A Time of Growing Older: Becoming a Woman	149	(12)
A Time of Confusions, Conflicts, and Inconsistencies	161	(10)
Shifting Loyalties: The Influence of Friends	171	(5)
Education and Educators	176	(4)
Tying Up Loose Ends: Concluding Remarks	180	(3)
Reaching Out: Young Women as Social Agents	183	(24)
Jordanian Women's Presence in Political and Economic Spheres	185	(7)
Activities in the Wider Community	192	(11)
Women's Movements	192	(1)
A Community Project	193	(3)
Students' Groups	196	(7)
Spaces for Agency: Concluding Remarks	203	(4)
``Woman to Woman'': Aspects of Young Women's Religiousness	207	(49)
Religious Communities in Jordan	208	(6)
Women in Islamic and Christian Religious Dogma	214	(5)
The Meaning and Significance of Religion and Religiousness for Young Women	219	(1)
Acquiring Religious Knowledge	220	(9)
Women's Participation in the Life of Religious Communities	229	(5)
Religious Rituals	234	(13)
Prayer	235	(4)
Fasting	239	(8)
Aspects of Individual Religiousness	247	(1)
Positive and Negative Aspects of Being a Believer	248	(4)
Feminine and Masculine Religiousness?	252	(4)
Dressed to Impress? Clothes, Religiousness, and a Language of Symbols	256	(39)
Dress as ``Language'': Expression of Worldviews	258	(6)
Expressing Opposition and Protest	264	(5)
Tongue-Tied: Limitations in the Language of Dress	269	(7)
Inventing Sartorial Traditions	276	(5)
Same But Different	281	(3)
Intentions, ``Lies'', and (Mis) Interpretations	284	(5)
In Other ``Words'': Symbols of Religiousness	289	(4)
Concluding Remarks	293	(2)
Conclusion	295	(14)
Bibliography	309	(14)
Index	323