The Social History of Amman through Photography
تاريخ النشر: 11/05/2026
الناشر: المعهد الفرنسي للشرق الأدنى
نبذة الناشر:Ammān’s urban form is the product of a complex interplay of power structures, political ambitions and social constructs. Rebuilt by Circassian migrants in 1878, the city became the capital of the Emirate of Transjordan after the First World War.
During this period, the population grew significantly, with new arrivals, including ...internal migrants and those from neigh- bouring countries. After 1948 and 1967, the city experienced significant population shifts with the arrival of tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees, leading to new developments and the formation of diverse social groups.
All of these groups have contributed to the city’s tangible and intangible heritage, although some of its elements have now disappeared. However, their photographic records remain, providing a valuable visual record of social structures and everyday practices in public spaces and social gatherings.
The use of photography as a means of documenting and preserving the history of ‘Ammān has undoubtedly been crucial over the past century. This volume covers the city from the first photograph taken in 1867 to the major turning point in the city’s history represented by the 1967 war. As historical artefacts, the photographs reflect the subjectivities of the pho- tographers and their representation of the city, with the inherent effects of making some social groups invisible. This book proposes to rediscover the history of ʿAmmān through the photographers’ perception of this urban territory ‘in the making’. It provides a comprehensive overview of the various representations of ʿAmmān, as well as a detailed exploration of the urban practices of different social groups over a period of one hundred years. It draws on a variety of sources, including images from public and private collections, to provide a thorough understanding of ʿAmmān’s social life, urban heritage and civic spirit. The aim is twofold: to reconstruct the history of the urban expansion of ʿAmmān and to illuminate the social, economic and political depths of its development. إقرأ المزيد