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"Working 'against all odds' is a feature that has accompanied the production of this book in hand, from the conception of its basic idea in 1997 to its final publication in 2001. Inspired by the impetus of the 17 women candidates for the Parliamentary elections in 1997 to establish a firm ground for women in the male - governed highest circles of legislative power in Jordan, and equally affected by the failure of all to reach this goal, the Al Kutbah Institute for Human Development joined forces with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Amman to conduct a careful analysis of the election experience together with the women candidates. The aim of this undertaking was to document the elections carefully, analyze the influences that determined the course of its events in general and women's achievements in particular, and draw conclusions for women's future endeavors to conquer positions of political representation. The idea was also to inform the general public about the diverse backgrounds, personalities, aspirations and actions of the 17 women candidates, and to identify the momentum that made all of them decide to take on the challenge of stepping into political competition against a nearly overwhelming male dominance - in spite of the fact that many of the women faced only limited chances for success from the very beginning. The majority of the women candidates supported the idea of gathering for three evaluation workshops, the format of which was decided upon in a preparatory meeting with all candidates in February 1998. The workshops took place as two-day retreats between March and June 1998, during which the women candidates reconstructed and discussed systematically all aspects of their election experience. The first workshop dealt with the political and legal situation at the time of the elections, the features of the various constituencies, in which the women ran, the women's personal background and motivation to run for Parliament, as well as their election platforms and programs. The second workshop focused on the candidates' election campaigns and a critical evaluation of their campaigning strategies in the light of thei given character of their constituencies and the general political and economic determinants of the situation at the time of the elections. The third workshop served as thorough analysis of the election results and a comprehensive evaluation of the whole experience of the Parliamentary elections. It was concluded with a debate about future chances for women in politics in Jordan. Documenting the women candidates' election experience in a way that would be approved by all of them, in combination with a scientific analysis of the background factors that led to their failure, and shaping all of this into a handy and easily legible book proved, however, to be a near-to-impossible project. The editors and publishers believe that the book in its present form is a valuable source of information and analysis about Jordanian women's experiences in elections and the determinants of their present status in the field of politics. It also provides proposals for future strategies to promote and consolidate women's role and influence in public and political life. We hope that the latter will be tested in practice by all those women who are ready, through their individual or collective actions, to claim their right to equality and equal participation in all areas of life, including the highest echelonsof political power. The women candidates in the previous Parliamentary elections were among the most prominent pioneers in this endeavor. We dedicate this book to them and all those who will follow." (Verlagsinformation)
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