New Op-Ed by GAPs Project Partner Highlights Jordanian Model in Refugee Governance
We are pleased to announce the publication of a new op-ed by our GAPs project partner, Jamal Shalabi, Professor of Political Science at Hashemite University, featured in Al Khaleej (UAE), on July 10, 2025. Titled “The Jordanian Model and Receiving Refugees”, the article offers a timely reflection on Jordan’s long-standing approach to hosting Syrian and other refugee populations.
The piece underscores how Jordan’s governance model—rooted in moral responsibility, humanitarian principles, and political restraint—complicates dominant narratives surrounding refugee return. In the absence of formal legal frameworks, Jordan’s emphasis on dignity, self-reliance, and regional stability presents a compelling alternative to coercive return policies.
As the GAPs project seeks to decenter mainstream return discourses and explore alternatives, the Jordanian case invites deeper inquiry into how geography, governance, and ethical commitments intersect in shaping return and readmission policies. Notably, the article highlights how Jordan has managed successive waves of displacement without instrumentalizing refugees for political leverage, offering a valuable reference point for comparative research.
The op-ed is available in Arabic and can be accessed here.