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Sectarianism and Identity Among Syrian Refugees in Jordan
Abstract
The Jordanian government asserts that one million Syrian refugees reside in Jordan, sharing with the populace many concerns about this large influx and settlement of “foreigners.” While some attention has been paid to the impact of Syrian refugees on sectarian divisions in Lebanon, very little analysis has been conducted on the potential impact of Syrian refugees and sectarian divisions in Jordan. While Lebanon has a longer and more visible history with sectarianism, Jordan does not. Furthermore, most Syrian refugees in Jordan are also Sunni Muslims. As a result, researchers often overlook the possibilities for Syrian refugees to bring sectarian outlooks and perspectives with them that inform their interactions with Jordanians. During 2014, I participated in women’s religion classes in a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. I also interviewed refugees from Syria about the courses’ content and obtained Jordanian reflections of the classes through focus groups. In addition to this primary research, I have conducted secondary research into the literature on the history and theology utilized and referenced both within the religion class and by those who discussed it. While sectarian outlooks and perspectives may not in and of themselves divide the majority of Syrian refugees in Jordan from the majority of Jordanian residents (as Sunni Muslims), the sectarian orientations and socio-cultural references of Syrian refugees have the potential to create new forms of divisiveness in Jordanian society. To counter this, Jordanians reinforce the idea that sectarianism is not welcome in Jordan and that it is even—as a few asserted—“against Islam.” In conclusion, the article demonstrates that the influx of sectarian outlooks held by Syrian refugees prompt Jordanians to reinforce the narrative that Jordan is free of such divisions and will continue to remain so, particularly in nationalist narratives.
Discipline
Anthropology
Geographic Area
Jordan
Sub Area
Islamic Studies