Abstract:
This thesis examines the political liberalization process in Jordan since 1989. It first
analyzes the steps undertaken by the late king Hussein, who responded to the riots of
1989 by measured dozes of political liberalization (instead of repression.) It then
considers how the political liberalization process unfolded during the reign of Hussein's
son, king Abdallah II. The thesis argues that political liberalization process in Jordan has
brought some changes to the Kingdom, primarily the lifting of martial law, a more
vibrant civil society and the holding of periodic parliamentary elections. Yet this process
has not fundamentally changed the nature of the Jordanian political system, which still
does not meet fully the criteria for democracy.
