How do theories of political party formation inform the discussion on political parties in Jordan? What are the social origins of Jordan’s political parties, and what role will these parties play in the future of Jordanian politics? The talk will feature two parts: 1) what political science can (and can’t) say about Jordan’s political party trajectory, 2) how Jordanian society tends to express and resolve its political grievances. 

Abdul-Wahab Kayyali is a PhD candidate at The George Washington University. His research interests are in comparative politics of the Arab World, political parties, and political organizations. His research has been supported by the American Political Science Association (APSA), the GWU Institute for Middle East Studies (IMES), the Zeit-Stiftung Ebelin and Gerd Bucerius Foundation, and the GWU Political Science Department. Before enrolling in his PhD, he worked in publishing and journalism, and his work has been published in The Financial Times, The National, and Fortune Arabia. He holds a bachelors degree from Tufts University and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago.