This article deals with the events during the so-called Arab Spring (or Domino) in Jordan since the beginning of 2011. Jordan (same as many other Arab states) had to cope with revolutionary atmosphere inspired by Tunisian revolution (since December 2010). This article describes which groups of Jordanian population and with which demands joined several-month popular protests and uprisings. Last year´s events are then explained on the background of the development of Jordanian politics. Great part of the articles exercises certain demands for reform in connection with tension between different parts of Jordanian society (Palestinians, Bedouins etc.). The end of the article summarizes success of Jordanian reformist movement so far., Martina Ponížilová., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The article deals with recent and still somewhat foggy phenomenon of so called „Arab spring“, which faces the area of the Middle East since last January. The author strives to avoid commonly operated journalist-like and superficial approach and describes in a kind of concise sythesis some of factors and motives of the „facebook generation“ and historical background of recent development in the respective societies. He points at the specific features of „modernity“ in the Arab region – like absolutely different structure of the society, means and ways of production, cultural, ethnical and spiritual values and stereotypes – if compared to the history and culture of the West, its „modernity“ and capitalist economic and social system. Special attention is paid on the crucial phenomenon of secularism, which – unlike the West – has been rather strange and (at least partly) unacceptable value for Arab (predominantly Muslim) societies. From these findings should originate the specific attitute from outside towards the role of religion in social and political life, specific political culture and behavior of both the official regime elites and „oppositionist“ strata of particular societies.
This article deals with the beginnigs of private Arabic press in Palestine. After a short introduction devoted to the early history of the press in the Middle East the main focus is on the period between 1908 and 1914. That was a time when private press in Palestine sprang into existence. After the liberalization of political life 35 newspapers came into being within this short period of time. Most of them had a very short lifespan, but some of them persevered until the outbreak of the First World War. The most important reason that prompted people to start publishing a newspaper was an endeavour to impove the society. Some publishers had more specific goals in mind like the fight against Zionism or the struggle for rights of the Arabs. The article also treats the importance of the press, its influence on the local population, coexistence of modern and traditional means of diffusion of information in the contemporary society.