My presentation, “The Construction of Nationalist Identity in Jordan" traces the evolution of Jordanian nationalism, from the inception of the state in 1921, until the 1970s. The paper posits that the Bedouin military, and its evolving relationship with the monarchy and state, exemplifies the transition from tribalism to nationalism in Jordan. I will also maintain that the wider Jordanian population (i.e. civilians and/or those without a tribal heritage) followed a nationalist path distinct from that of the tribal military. Using the memoirs of several key figures in Jordanian history, as well as a variety of secondary source material, I argue that Jordan's leaders actively sought to foment nationalist sentiment from the inception of the state. More broadly, this paper explores how nationalist sentiment can be created in a region whose inhabitants lack ethnic or religious homogeneity, as well as any history of national unification.
