The function of tribe in Jordan within the social and political interferences: A sociological approach

This study aimed to examine the transformation of tribe in Jordan from the social function to the political function, the reasons for this political control over the social roles of tribe inside the contemporary Jordanian society, and to understand the motives of this transformation. The study found a domination of political function at the expense of social function, even though historically the tribe has played a strong social role in parallel with its political and security role. Therefore, the study results concluded the continuation of symbolic social role for tribe in the mentality of people but the effectiveness of its role is limited to the politica aspect, where the political system was the biggest factor of this transformation through the exchange of interests between the state or country and the tribe, the state wants the support of tribes, and the tribes seek to achieve the interests of its people through this closeness to the state and its institutions. This change in the roles and functions which affected the Jordanian tribal institution is a structural transformation, and also contributed to it a series of changes in the Jordanian society structure, which associated with modernity, and specifically changes in production from the agriculture and pastoral patterns to the semi-capitalist rents associated with the state.