ABSTRACT
Inspired by Anthony Smith’s work on the continuing importance of national identity in the contemporary world, this volume attempts to answer the question “why do nations continue to be relevant in today’s globalized society.” My contribution addresses this question using the case of Jordan. Although Smith prefers Egypt and Israel as his primary Middle Eastern examples of the longstanding existence of ethnies, Jordan offers an excellent opportunity to study the strength of even the most recent national creations. Jordanian identity has proven particularly resilient, despite its recent genesis, because Jordanian leaders have effectively coop ted regional “myths, memories, values and symbols” to produce a durable national identity.
