Curtis R. Ryan

Political Opposition and Reform Coalitions in Jordan

Jordanian politics has seen decades of pro-reform and pro-democracy political activism, but with little effective change on the Jordanian political system itself. This analysis explains how and why the regime has resisted more than cosmetic reform and democratic change. It also examines in detail old and new avenues of opposition reformist activism in the kingdom, from leftist political parties and the Islamist movement to new forms of pro-democracy activism in the form of grassroots coalitions, youth movements and social media activism. As both government and opposition in Jordan are affected by the 2011 Arab uprisings, this analysis examines the past and present possibilities for democratic political opposition and for an effective and unified coalition for reform in Jordan.

Jordan in transition : from Hussein to Abdullah

From Abdullah to Hussein: The Emergence of Modern Jordan. Political Liberalization and Elections. Economic Adjustment and Political Stability. From War to Peace: Jordans Changing Foreign Policy. From Hussein to Abdullah: The Succession. Jordans Continuing Transition.

The Odd Couple: Ending the Jordanian-Syrian "Cold War"

Of all the bilateral relationships between Arab states, the Jordanian-Syrian relationship has been among the most tumultuous. Jordanian-Syrian relations have, more often than not, been marked by varying degrees of mutual hostility and even violence. These periods of animosity have been so frequent that they amounted to a local ‘Cold War’ even in the midst of the many other conflicts in the region. But with regime changes in both Amman and Damascus, a marked thaw has emerged in Jordanian-Syrian relations, seemingly ending another long period of acrimony. But this type of event has happened once before: in the late 1970s when Jordan and Syria shifted from antagonism to alliance. This article examines both the historic and current attempts to end the Jordanian-Syrian Cold War, so that the earlier episode may shed some light on the present and future of Jordanian-Syrian relations.

The Armed Forces and the Arab Uprisings: The Case of Jordan

The 2011 uprisings across the Arab world have highlighted the importance of civil-military relations across the region.1 As uprisings against bleak economic conditions and authoritarian rule spread from Tunisia to Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and Syria, the decisions made by Arab armies and security services have been key to the outcomes in