Week Eleven:

School is definitely in full swing. I think I may end up writing at least 300 pages of research papers for the various classes and my thesis (though it possibly may end up being more). Honestly, it’s kind of exciting as much as it is daunting. I have had fun reading a lot, particularly some of the classics of international relations and its theory. It’s also been a fascinating experience to hear and start to understand an outside perspective on international relations and even United States foreign policy.

Something I think I’ve neglected to address thus far in my posts is the Embassy and expat social scene. Being someone who enjoys pushing bounds (to a certain extent…) and getting outside the limits of past experiences, I have tried not to spend way too much time in Embassy social events. That’s simply because it would be easy to get comfortable around fellow Americans and speaking English. That said, I have found it interesting to take part in some of the events and parties that go on in and around the U.S. Embassy community.

The first, and most impressive, party I attended was kind of a shock, to be completely honest. I was informed of the event and invited the day before it was held. The invitation I got was by word of mouth, just in passing, and from the sound of it I felt like it would be a small social function for one of the sections at the Embassy (there are multiple sections, such as those for military cooperation, consular affairs, and economic coordination). I asked for a little more information from my former superior in the MAP office and he seemed pretty nonchalant about it as well (“just a nice collared shirt and maybe jeans or something”). So I drive up and the party is absolutely not at all what I was expecting; luckily I had dressed significantly nicer than what I had been advised to wear, and I was very thankful for that. Most of the employees at the Embassy were present along with a significant number of foreign diplomats and important figures from Jordan. Thinking back on the event (and here I’m going to get kind of lame, fair warning) it kind of fits into something from one of my books, Politics Among Nations, where we are pursuing a “prestige policy.” That is, where states sort of look to increase their prestige by diplomatic niceties, shows of military force and prowess, or direct personal exchanges, such as parties.

I’ve had the pleasure of attending a few other events at or around the Embassy, such as a birthday party for two of my superiors (both Army) and most recently a small “Oktoberfest.” I particularly enjoyed the Oktoberfest because, for the most part, things were kept relatively low key and it was fun having some structure to the event while having the freedom to meet others from the American community. In a way the social events serve to keep the American diplomatic and expat community connected. Furthermore, Jordan is promoted as a family friendly post for American diplomats, and such a well-connected community both spreads and substantiates that claim.

To wrap up, I just have to note that while it has been hugely beneficial to have my own car, I have missed the taxi drivers. I try to take good care of my car: cleaning it weekly, waxing it, checking up on the various functions. But last week I hit a wall that I couldn’t touch: broken compressor for the air conditioner. I took it to the shop and they said it would be most of the day, so I decided to go get some work done and come back. Two minutes after getting into a taxi, when the driver realized my Arabic was decent, I was treated to a very excited twenty minute political monologue (about the predominant political topic of the area). It was really well meaning and it was a lot of fun to listen to (though I think I kept my eyes on the road more than he did during the ride). It ended with him declaring, very appropriately, that my mission is “to return to the United States and share my experiences here.” He especially emphasized that I need to express that Americans and Arabs are not so different; everyone just wants to provide a life for themselves and their families. Interesting thought, something to consider.

Hope you enjoyed, thank you for your interest, and I apologize that I’m brutally neglectful of carrying my camera around… I’ll be traveling around this week, so I should be able to add a few pictures next week. يعني إن شاء اللّه

مع الإحترّام,

- برنّن روردا

Week Ten:

Well I skipped a couple weeks, and I apologize for that. You know when you put something off and then the time seems to exponentially grow? I’m afraid that problem, along with a fear of being repetitive, stood between me and updates to the blog.

Another impediment to writing in the blog is fear of what I might find myself wanting to write about: politics. As I’m surrounded by politics and political discussions in class and in my studies, politics necessarily becomes a central theme in my life. Always I'm surrouded by discussions of America’s role in the world, the issue of Iran, or the ever present Palestinian-Israeli Conflict (which has been passionately debated in literally every single one of my lessons thus far). For better or worse, being a person who is enthralled by questions of politics both in studies and in practice, I basically can’t get a break from it because in addition to my classes I tend to fill my personal time looking at political news or reading books about politics. That disclaimer out of the way, I think I’ve found an outlet in that Jordan is currently having parliamentary elections and it has been a fascinating experience to be around to watch the process in the run up to those elections.

Before the beginning of the race, there was a lot of controversy regarding the electoral districts and electoral laws, particularly focused around the issue of candidacy and registration. As some background, Jordan has flirted with “Democratization” for a number of decades, starting under the late King Hussein (Allah yarhamhu, a phrase said in remembrance and respect for a person who has passed). Throughout the Democratization process, Jordan has had to keep a delicate balance between political, social, and economic development. Often, in the interest of keeping that balance, political development has had to take a back seat and has even been reversed to some extent; this has caused some political unrest and has led to the accusation by some regional scholars of dishonesty on the part of the monarchy. The moderate Islamist party, the Islamic Action Front, which has historical and organizational links to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, nearly decided not to participate in these elections due to what they felt were unfair restrictions and unfair electoral districts.

In the end, it seems that the stand-off right before the race passed and the race has begun. The change in the atmosphere in Amman was immediate, literally overnight, if only because the streets were lined with campaign posters and signs as soon as candidates could start their campaigns. Some candidates have banners hung across streets, with their name and a short catch phrase written in very artfully done Arabic. When I go to the Embassy to exercise or check up on mail I drive down a street through a wealthier part of town that is just lined with posters, somewhat reminiscent of our own political campaigns. Also,in trying to pay attention to local news, it seems there are two key issues for Jordanian democratic politics. The first is definitely enhancing confidence in the political system and getting people to actually vote; some in Jordan feel it doesn’t matter because no matter the result of the election, the King will remain as head of state and the true backbone of the regime (note: regime is not a bad word, it simply means the system of distribution of power within a state, thus the United States’ regime is generally known as a “democratic regime,” while Jordan’s might be characterized as primarily “authoritarian”).

The other fundamental issue is the role of Jordan’s tribes, and their rights with regard to candidacy. If you’ve ever gotten a chance to read the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, or see the movie Lawrence of Arabia, then you may have a window into the importance of tribe connections, particularly in Jordan where they are recognized political identities. Overall, I’m excited to see what happens at the end of the race and to see how Jordanians ultimately feel about the result.

Oh, and almost forgot, I'm also excited to see the result of our own elections, particularly our local ones, as I sent in my absentee ballot about two weeks ago. It's always a good feeling, especially when you're half way around the world. I also have to thank my Grandmother and Mother for their willingness to discuss some of the current issues in Oak Ridge and in Tennessee, their insights were very helpful in helping me to understand some of the more obscure questions (i.e. changes in the charter).

I hope you enjoyed the update, and as always, thank you for your interest!

Respectfully,

Brennan Roorda