Working Women in Jordan: Education, Migration, and Aspiration (by Fida J. Adely)

Abstract

Education migration and displacement have been prominent aspects of development in Jordan. Although Jordan has one of the most highly educated populations in the Middle East, more women than men attend higher education and attain academic success. Yet, despite educational achievement that affords professional status and some sense of independence, college-educated women in Jordan who migrate from largely rural provinces to Amman for work and opportunity struggle to attain their goals and to build a secure future for themselves. Premised on an ideology of creativity and self-reliance to spur economic growth and solve social problems, neoliberal policies as part of Jordan’s modernity project have sought to foster productive and entrepreneurial citizens who identify opportunities and take risks. Women in Jordan, however, must also navigate familial expectations and social values that constrict them in ways modernity eschews.