d Subtitle - NPS Publications - Naval Postgraduate School

The "civic culture" approach is difficult to apply even
under the best of survey and research circumstances. When
confronted with the lack of data available on the Circassians
the problem is compounded. However it is necessary that this
subject be explored beyond a simple historical recreation of
the facts available. The political, social, economic and
religious motives of the Circassians must be analyzed m
lend a complete understanding of the place they occupy in
Jordan today. The "civic culture" approach lends the best
available framework for this analysis under the prevailing
circumstances.
This thesis is organized into three major sections.
The first section deals with the history of the Circassians
prior to the formation of the Emirate of Transjordan in
1923. This section provides the necessary groundwork for
an understanding of the initial political, social and economic
position of the Circassians in the newly established Emirate.
The second section of this thesis deals with the
evolution of the position of the Circassians from the
founding of the Emirate to the present time. This section
comprises the bulk of the thesis and draws heavily from the
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many and often contradictory works on this period. In
these works the Circassians are portrayed in various lights,
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