Karak Resources Project

On the Bedouin

Burnett, G. Wesley; Murl Dirksen; and Raid Al-Baqain.

1999 The Situation of the Bedouin of Jordan's Karak Plateau, Journal of Third World Studies, 16/2:121-131.

This paper reports the findings of the Contemporary Studies Team of the Karak Resources Project 1997 field season. The CST conducted interviews with nomadic herders and landowners as well as agricultural civil servants, water authority administrators, and social workers that interact with the Bedouin. This study concluded that the economic and environmental situation of the Bedouin in 1997 was very bleak.

Nyerges, A. Endre

1982 Pastoralist, Flocks and Vegetation: Processes of Co-adaptation, Desertification and Development: Dryland Ecology in Social Perspective. New York: Academic Press.

This chapter calls for a re-evaluation of the evolutionary ecology model of pastoral development and environmental degradation. Using regional comparisons with Africa and the Middle East, the author cautions us against the common assumptions of mismanagement of livestock and vegetation by traditional pastoralists. Conservation by the experts is mainly responsible for desertification. This is an excellent article that supports need to have the Bedouin themselves manage their own affairs.

Young, William

2000 The Bedouin: Discursive Identity or Sociological Category? A Case Study from Jordan. Journal of Mediterranean Studies. 9/2: 275-299.

An article by one of the members of the Contemporary Studies Team of the Karak Resources Project 1999 field season: Bill explores the title of "Bedouin" among nomadic, semi-nomadic, and semi-sedentary populations that utilize the Karak Plateau in central Jordan. He also provides several interesting field experiences to illustrate how the concept "Bedouin" gets defined.

On Farming

Al-Baqain, Raid

1997 Socio-Economic Interactions between Low and High Potential Agro-Ecological Zones and Farming Systems in Jordan. University of Hohenheim, Germany

This book by a member of the CST in 1997, 1999, and 2001 describes and analyzes the socio-economic features of the farm-household-family unit of different farming systems in three agro-ecological zones in the Madaba governorate of central Jordan. The author also performs an impact analysis of farming systems in low and high potential areas. This is an excellent work for those interested in the decisions that farming households make in regard to agricultural production.

Simms, Steven R. and Kenneth Russell

1997 Bedouin Hand Harvesting of Wheat and Barley: Implications for Early Cultivation in Southwestern Asia, Current Anthropology. 38\4: 696-607

This article compares the efficiency of hand harvesting to harvesting done with a sickle and found return rates to be similar. It also reports that there is no link between the appearance of sickles in archaeological records and the earliest grain cultivation. Good article for relating present-day agricultural practices to historical archaeology.

General Works on the Karak Plateau

Gubser, Peter

1973 Politics and Change in Al-Karak, Jordan: A Study of a Small Arab Town and District. London: Oxford University Press.

This book has considerable detail on the geographical and political history of the Karak Plateau from the late Ottoman Period to the present.

General Works on Jordan

Gubser, Peter

1991 Historical Dictionary of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Metuchen, N.J. and London: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.

This book is an excellent reference to key historical events, major figures, tribal groups, political groups, religious organizations, and military societies. In the beginning of the book there is a concise chronology of important dates in Jordan's history as well an introduction to the people, geography and history of the country.

Miller, Maxwell

1991 Archaeological Survey of the Kerak Plateau, Atlanta, GA.: Scholar Press.