Jordan and the Arab Uprisings

Curtis R. Ryan explains how Jordan weathered the turmoil of the Arab uprisings. Crossing divides between state and society, government and opposition, and struggles over elections, reform, and identity. Jordan and the Arab Uprisings is a definitive analysis of Jordanian politics before, during, and beyond the Arab Spring.

Curtis R. Ryan is professor of political science at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. He is the author of Jordan in Transition: From Hussein to Abdullah (2002) and Inter-Arab Alliances: Regime Security and Jordanian Foreign Policy (2009).

Jillian Schwedler, Hunter College, CUNY:
Ryan argues that Jordan did have an uprising beginning in 2011, and that fact that it took a different path from some of the other states does not mean that Jordan was exceptional. Jordan is often treated merely as a case of “regime survival,” but Ryan unpacks how the regime maneuvered on multiple fronts during its uprising. His expertise as a scholar of both international relations and comparative politics enables him to advance an innovative argument with theoretical import well beyond a case study.

Edward "Skip" Gnehm, U.S. Ambassador to Jordan, 2001-2004:
Jordan and the Arab Uprisings is a masterful analysis of Jordan’s domestic complexities—cultural, political, and economic—ever mindful of the impact of regional events. The description of identity politics is insightful, as is the description of issues that activate political movements. With discernment Ryan notes continuity and change as he unfolds the Jordan that exists today and provides wisdom for understanding what may follow.

Reza Aslan, author of Zealot and God: A Human History:
I know of few analysts who understand the Kingdom of Jordan better than Curtis Ryan. Here he has provided an invaluable look into how this small nation, nestled in one of the most tumultuous regions in the world, has managed not only to remain stable and thrive, but to rise as a major power in the Middle East.