Jordan Journal of Social Sciences

Social Media Postings from Members of the Jordanian Parliament on the COVID-19 Pandemic

2024-04-07T12:01:14+03:00

This study sheds light on the use of social media, particularly Facebook, by members of the 19th Jordanian Parliament to address the COVID-19 crisis. The study examines the patterns, sources, tones, and frames adopted in COVID-19-related posts by Jordanian Members of Parliament. A content analysis approach is used to collect data, relying on the theory of social responsibility. A total of 634 posts regarding COVID-19 were taken from 39 different Facebook accounts of MPs, selected through simple random sampling. Among the notable findings of this study: text accompanied by images was the most commonly used format by MPs, and official sources were the most preferred by Jordanian MPs regarding COVID-19 information. Additionally, most posts had a neutral tone, while the majority were framed within a responsibility framework. This study encourages further research attention on the use of social media by political leaders during health crises.

Social Media and Role Models among Saudi Youth: A Field Study

2024-05-07T08:48:57+03:00

This study addresses the impact of social media on shaping role models among youth in Saudi society. The study used the social survey method with a sample to analyze the views of young people regarding the influence of social media on role models. It found that social media plays various roles in shaping role models, such as presenting multiple examples, forming the user's mental image of a role model, strengthening the youth's attachment to certain figures, and pushing them to imitate the behaviors of social media celebrities. The study emphasizes the role of social media in highlighting certain role models and their influence on users. It revealed eight mechanisms that contribute to directing youth to emulate social media celebrities, including the financial support provided to celebrities and the repeated exposure to their content. The study also showed the influence of social media influencers on the behaviors and orientations of young people, as these platforms help create an environment that encourages social imitation and fosters closeness between youth and influencers. According to the "self-redefinition theory," this closeness drives youth to adopt the traits and behaviors of their virtual role models. The study concludes with several recommendations, including raising awareness among youth about the role of social media, guiding them to use it responsibly, and strengthening the role of cultural and religious institutions in directing youth to consume content critically rather than blindly following trends.

Identity Management of Stigmatized Divorced Jordanian Woman: An Approach from Goffman's Social Stigma Perspective

2024-03-10T08:07:21+03:00

This study aims to explore the management of identity among stigmatized divorced Jordanian women within four areas: concealment, escape (isolation), disregard, and rebellion. It is based on social surveys and interviews and applied to a sample of 214 divorced women and 10 cases from the study population. The study revealed that the stigmatized divorced woman attempts to "conceal" information about herself in the presence of others who know her, appearing as a normal person to them, and trying to build a false identity around her stigma. She tends to "escape (isolate)" to avoid society's judgment and does not want others to know her identity. She also "disregards" everything she hears from the surrounding community, such as opinions, criticism, comments, and hurtful hints. Additionally, she tends to "rebel," no longer caring about others' opinions, publicly rejecting anything inappropriate, and resisting those who attempt to undermine her character. The results showed statistically significant differences (α≤0.05) in participants' responses, attributed to variables such as "age," "monthly income," "current profession," and "number of marriages." However, no significant differences were found related to variables like "education level," "duration of marriage," "number of children from the ex-husband," "regret over the divorce," and "divorce as a change for the better." The study recommends that divorced women view themselves as complete individuals like anyone else, not to be ashamed of their situation, and not to attempt to conceal their stigma. It also advises them to adapt to their situation to gain social acceptance and behave in a proper manner to show that they are not a burden to anyone.

The Effect of Party Affiliation on Developing Awareness of Social Policies among Members of the General Bodies of Parties in Karak Governorate

2024-05-07T14:33:57+03:00

The research aimed to measure the impact of party membership on raising awareness of social policies among the general assembly members of political parties in the Karak Governorate. To achieve the research objective, the descriptive-analytical method was adopted, using a questionnaire as the data collection tool. The research sample consisted of 213 party members in the Karak Governorate. The results showed that there is an impact of party membership on raising awareness of social policies among the general assembly members of political parties in Karak, with a high level of influence. The development of political awareness ranked first, at a high level, and the methods used ranked last, also at a high level. The results also indicated no statistically significant differences in the responses of the study sample based on gender, educational qualification, or age. However, differences were found related to the duration of membership, showing that the perceptions of the study sample toward the impact of party membership on raising awareness of social policies varied between those with less than two years of membership and those with more than four years, with the latter group showing a higher level of awareness. The researcher recommended that responsible authorities provide financial and moral support to political parties to enhance their positive role in raising awareness of social policies. It was also suggested that parties should hold training and qualification courses for all members, especially new ones, and focus on highlighting the role of parties in raising awareness of social policies.

The Contribution of Advocacy Discourse in Enhancing Community Security (An Analytical Study on the Facebook Page of the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs, and Holy Places)

2024-01-16T08:23:52+03:00

The study aims to identify the contribution of the advocacy discourse represented by the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs, and Holy Places in enhancing community security.

The study adopted the descriptive survey method. It involved designing a content analysis form based on previous literature studies and analyzing the publications of the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Places.

The study concluded that the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs, and Holy Places contributes to community security through its religious advocacy. This contribution is manifested in various ways, such as employing a preaching style, announcing events, directing discourse towards balance, promoting principles of tolerance, combating corruption, engaging with local, regional, and international communities, and clarifying Islamic law. The ministry frames its publications within ethical frameworks and the framework of human interest.

The study recommended several actions, including the establishment of a specialized department within the Directorate of Preaching and Guidance in the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs, and Holy Places. This department would focus on monitoring the development of communication methods to expand its religious outreach program by involving specialists in Islamic preaching and media, and organizing media efforts that particularly address community security.