King Hussein and the challenge of Arab radicalism: Jordan, 1955-1967

Abstract

When the young Hussein became the King of Jordan in 1953 he represented the socially conservative, pre-Western Jordanian state, and seemed a frail reed against the rising forces of pan-Arab radicalism. Yet Hussein and the Jordanian monarchy have not only endured, they have thrived, and continue to play a vital role in Middle Eastern politics. Uriel Dann sheds new light on the political history of the formative years of the Jordanian state, and uncovers the sources of its durability.