Dataset for ES/P004792/1 - Conserving Cultural Heritage: The Resilience of Forcibly Displaced Syrian Artisans in Jordan

Abstract

The project addressed Jordan ’s development challenges arising from the burgeoning influx of displaced Syrians by exploring the resilience, vulnerabilities and identities of the displaced Syrian artisans residing in Jordan since the war in Syria erupted in 2011. It addressed questions about the socio-political impact of engaging in cultural heritage crafts on the displaced Syrian community in Jordan, the impact of cultural appropriation through ‘made in Jordan’ Syrian cultural heritage products on the conservation of the Syrian cultural heritage by the displaced artisans, and the impact of displacement and the arising marginalised masculinities, on the resilience of neo-patriarchal displaced Arab communities. In doing so, we contribute to the rapidly growing resilience discourse which has largely ignored the resilience of displaced artisans, and displaced Syrians. Mixed methods were used to collect data from stakeholders, Jordanian artisans and displaced Syrian artisans residing in Jordan. In addition, the project had three capacity building components: 1. enhancing Jordan’s social research capacity by training postdoctoral researchers 2. encouraging the social enterprise model by training Jordanian trainers to deliver a social enterprise start up programme for artisans 3. training Jordanian artisans and displaced Syrian artisans in social enterprise The project was designed through the interdisciplinary strengths of the team of investigators and project partners. Dr Haya Al-Dajani (Principal Investigator) brings a gender, enterprise and displacement expertise, whilst Professor Geoff Wilson (CoInvestigator) is an expert on resilience and Dr Marta Hawkins (Co-Investigator) is an expert in the creative industries and visual and sensorial methods. The King Hussein Foundation’s Information and Research Center in Jordan is an internationally recognised centre focused on socio-economic planning and transformation through research, advocacy and knowledge transfer. Tiraz is a unique non-profit cultural foundation and cultural heritage research centre dedicated to promoting and preserving Arab cultural heritage.