5 September 2024; updated 29 September 2024
Three lectures are currently on this season’s schedule.
About the lecture:
The relationship between Jordan and Oman goes back to the mid-1950s but is little known beyond a handful of specialists. This lecture explores the fascinating political and military history between these two polities over the course of the mid-20th century. Jordan took the side of the Omani rebels during the Jabal Akhdar War (1957–1959), supporting their claims of sovereignty at the United Nations against the Sultan of Muscat. However, over a decade later, Jordan came to the defense of the Sultanate during its fight against communist revolutionaries in region of Dhofar (1964–1975).
The change in policy was due, in part, to the close personal connection between King Hussein of Jordan, and Sultan Qaboos bin Sa‘id, who took over Oman in 1970. The two men knew each other and were fellow Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (UK) alumni. However, Jordan also aided Oman because of changing political dynamics in the Gulf and the wider Middle East, which made Jordanian support for Oman advantageous at the time.
The lecture may be attended in person or via Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82586457149?pwd=6bNrrnxpNm7WkxJs1xx6yPWOugGb6x.1) and will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.
About the Speaker:
Richard Harrod is a PhD candidate in history at Washington University in St. Louis. He is currently working on a dissertation focused on the history of Oman in the 20th century. His training and research have been generously supported by the Washington University history department, the Walter and Klara Goldschmidt Foundation, the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, New York University Abu Dhabi, the Center for Arabic Studies Abroad (CASA), and the Council of American Overseas Research Centers. He holds a BA in classics and history from Monmouth College, an MA in Middle East studies from the University of Chicago, and an MA in history from Washington University in St. Louis. His first article, “The Sulṭān’s Treatise: Development and Contending Visions of Oman’s Future in the Late-Nineteen Sixties” has recently been accepted by the Journal of Arabian Studies.
For more information about our other upcoming (and past) lectures, visit our events webpage.
