In this new research paper, Hana Jaber outlines the history of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood and its transformation to a political force, and identifies the unexpected developments the group has experienced in an increasingly complex regional context.
By focusing on the regional context as a measure to understand the dynamics of Jordanian politics, Jaber argues that throughout its history and rise as a political force, the Muslim Brotherhood has been of critical importance to the monarchy and other opposition movements. The Brotherhood also represents a critical capital necessary to contain the economic, social, and political crises.
As result of the international and regional context, Jordanian state intelligence has increased the fight against the Muslim Brotherhood as the only force capable of challenging the monarchy, leading to internal divisions within the group itself. Their actions, however, are also preventing the regime from engaging with the sole coherent political voice at the heart of Jordanian society.
*This paper was supported by EU sponsored programme When Authoritarianism Fails in the Arab World (Wafaw) and the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS).
The views represented in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Arab Reform Initiative, its staff, or its board.
