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The Dynamics of Civil Society Observed Through the Jordanian Electoral Process

So Yeon Ahn 1

1서울대학교 아시아연구소 서아시아센터

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ABSTRACT

The efficacy of elections in authoritarian regimes has remained a prominent topic of debate within political science scholarship. Two principal perspectives have shaped this discourse: one posits that elections in authoritarian systems serve primarily as instruments to consolidate regime legitimacy, while the other contends that such elections foster procedural learning of democratic norms and can, in the long run, function as catalysts for political development. Jordan represents a paradigmatic case of a competitive authoritarian regime, characterized by periodic multiparty parliamentary elections despite its status as an authoritarian monarchy. Jordanian citizens are often perceived as enjoying relatively greater freedom to vote in alignment with their political preferences compared to voters in other authoritarian contexts. From this perspective, political participation by Jordanian civil society is notably robust when contrasted with other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This engagement is evident not only in formal parliamentary elections but also in university student council elections. The significance of these student council elections is substantial, as the intensity of the campaigns mirrors that of national elections, and their outcomes are frequently regarded as predictive indicators of subsequent parliamentary election results. Nevertheless, tribalist practices have historically impeded genuine political participation within Jordanian civil society. However, emergent movements within civil society are now actively seeking to address and mitigate these challenges. These initiatives include campaigns advocating for the reform of electoral laws and the promotion of political pluralism. Despite numerous setbacks and iterative processes, civil society's efforts to advance the political landscape in Jordan remain persistent and continue to evolve. Accordingly, this study seeks to analyze the patterns of political parti- cipation exhibited by Jordanian civil society across various electoral pro- cesses and, through this analysis, assess the political capacity and potential of Jordanian civil society to contribute to broader political development.

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* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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