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Reclaiming Honor in Jordan: A National Public Opinion Survey on "Honor" Killings

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The subject of this book could not be more bleak. However, after systematically and exhaustively querying the Jordanian public on its attitudes toward these murders, Ms. Sheeley concludes that people are ready for change. This is good and perhaps surprising news. In a democracy it would mean that punishments for these crimes would finally fall into line with international standards. But most countries in the Middle East are not democracies.

So begins the arduous task of reviewing this unique item. Arduous because, as a Jordanian, it burdens my heart that this book even needs to exist (it does). Arduous because it shook me that the subject was studied at this level of detail by a non-Jordanian. But...perhaps an integral factor in the equation of bringing this book into existence is that the writer has to be an outsider. Jordanian journalists from within have been trying to know themselves and know their society by exposing it's shadow...but anybody, is welcome to tackle the shadow.

Ellen R. Sheeley, being an American who -devotedly- dove right in to a foreign society to try to dig up info about this taboo issue may be an outsider, but that's what may have helped her keep cool enough of a head to compile the data needed to publish such a work.

I applaud her for being able to withstand the hardships of the process of publishing and marketing this type of book. I know some of what she has had to endure, and I only hope that her endeavours will be recognized by people who will thence take action upon eradicating these dis-honorable crimes.

This was a hard book for me to read, but it's something that everyone, especially women, should know about. Ellen Sheeley, at her own expense and very real personal risk, has undertaken to systematically expose both these crimes and the apathy that seems to pervade Jordanians when it comes to acknowledging and punishing these honor killings. A 'must-read' for anyone who cares about human rights.

Amidst the knee-jerk emotionalism and sensationalism surrounding honor killings, it is affirming to stumble upon a book that takes a step or two back and uses scientific methodology to put attitudes about these crimes into their proper perspective.

If you are searching for a book that documents in gory detail the sorry demise of Fatima or Reem, this is not the book for you. But if you are seeking a detailed understanding of the underlying reasoning and thinking behind these crimes -- from people who live amongst them -- then you will emerge from reading Reclaiming Honor in Jordan quite sated.

In addition to what the other favorable reviewers have stated, it is noteworthy that the government of Jordan approved this book for publication, as is observable from its imprint in Arabic in the first couple pages of the book. For those who may not know, the press in Jordan is state controlled. And even in this day the state is known to censor works it finds objectionable.

It is also noteworthy that the very honor-shame phenomenon that lies at the core of this book is playing itself out in these reviews of it. Those who seek to learn more about this would do well to bone up on Arab culture, for example, by reading works by Hirsi Ali, Patai, Pryce-Jones and others.

In all, this is an honorable work which breaks new ground and advances understanding of honor killings by using the scientific method to poll representative members of the Jordanian public on the subject.

To hell with cultural relativism! The murder of innocent women to appease some family's notion of "honor' should be a crime in any language. The United Nations estimates there are about 5000 "honor' killings around the world each year, mostly in Islamic countries, mostly of women. Yet there is no NGO anywhere in the world dedicated to eradicating honor crimes, nor even comprehensive statistical information about them. In this brave and important book, Ellen R Sheeley, using her own time and money and marketing expertise, undertook a national public opinion survey in one country, Jordan, to provide the empirical and objective data on public attitudes that is essential to any effective campaign designed to change hearts and minds. This clearly-written and compelling account should be read by anyone concerned with injustices and abuses of human rights. "

Ellen Sheeley has taken the study of 'honor killing' to a new level with this ground breaking research. Written in an easily accessible, concise style, this book satisfies the needs of both academic readership and for ordinary readers who wish to acquaint themselves with this troubling phenomenon, sadly a growing problem in the West too.

Ms Sheeley has provided a snapshot of the current attitudes of Jordanian people towards this crime with surprising results. Most people strongly condemn these crimes but are subject to a prevailing ennui due to a lack of real committed action amongst the policy makers and NGO's in Jordan to help make the punishment fit the crime.

All the more shocking is the number of women and young female children who are persecuted for the sake of gossip or for sexual crimes perpetrated against them. If lucky enough to survive, these women are often held in prison 'for their own protection' rendering them victims twice over.

Ms Sheeley's 'cri de coeur' on behalf of these women is the result of her determined and sustained campaign to raise awareness against all the odds and at personal expense. Her courage in tackling this highly controversial and often secretive crime is unparalleled and for anyone acquainted with Middle Eastern cultures, quite astonishing.

This book is an extremely useful resource not only as the most up to date data source from Jordan but as a reflection of the attitudes surrounding these crimes, including the background to circumstances leading to honor killing and also to follow up on punishments meted out to the killers.

I sincerely hope that Miss Sheeley will follow up this book with a narrative account of her time in Jordan and the experiences she had whilst collecting this data and that her valuable work will find real support amongst those best placed to make a difference.

An excellent piece of research and an amazing act of altruism. Brava, Ellen Sheeley!

The business community isn't known for its charitable deeds and heart, but in Reclaiming Honor in Jordan, the author, a marketer by profession, shows clearly how each of us has something to offer even the stickiest of problems.

She journeys to Jordan to survey people about their opinions on honor killings, which she defines as "the intrafamilial murder of a person for actual or perceived immoral sexual behavior in a misguided attempt to restore family honor." In Jordan such killings are considered misdemeanors. A typical sentence is six months.

So how do people feel about this? It turns out most people would support greater punishments. The question then becomes why won't the king and the government enact stronger legislation, value their female citizens and bring their laws into sync with the rest of us?

The world awaits. Come join us in the 21st century, Jordan.

I wholeheartedly concur with the previous reviewers, particularly the articulate E. St. Aubyn.

Having lived as an expat in Jordan for quite some time, I can only marvel at and applaud Ms. Sheeley's courage, forbearance, and generosity of heart and of pocketbook in undertaking the research and the work that led to the publication of this book. She would've faced almost unbearable scrutiny, countless obstacles that would've sent lesser mortals fleeing for the border, and likely even some active interference by the powers that be, who seem to lack any true interest in substantively addressing their honor killing problem. It would be difficult to overstate the challenges, and that is why I consider the release of this book heroic. May it become "the little book that could." Mabrouk, Ms. Sheeley! Well done!

Now that there are some facts at hand--rigorously and scientifically gathered by someone who is well qualified, highly accomplished, and wholly unaligned with any regime, any corporation, or any NGO--why has there been no movement on the ground? Ms. Sheeley has paved and led the way. In the year since this book was published, what possible excuse is there for doing nothing? I, for one, do not understand the apathy, the complacency, and the lack of regard for human life. The dishonor of these crimes extends not only to the killers, but to each and every person in Jordan who knows what is going on in their midst and shamefully, stubbornly refuses to act to ameliorate the suffering out of arrogance, false pride, "not invented here" syndrome, pretentiousness, selfishness, or any of the other misguided, hard-headed qualities prevalent in Jordan.

What kind of society sets the performance bar this low? Where is the outrage? More importantly, what will it take to motivate people to act in ways that meaningfully address this stain on the culture?

This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the cultural thinking underlying honor killings from the source rather than learn about it through the filter of prospectively biased parties, Islamophobes, regime spinmeisters, career activists, the politically correct and others who may stand to gain from obfuscating the harsh realities or maintaining the status quo. It suffers from none of the shortcomings and biases of the Gallup Organization's "Who Speaks for Islam?" as documented by Dr. Hillel Fradkin in his April 10, 2008 article "Who Does Speak for Islam?" on the Middle East Strategy at Harvard's Web site (just Google it). In fact, Gallup would do well to learn from the classic and exemplary design, analysis and presentation skills displayed in this book.

One can only hope the powers that be in Jordan and elsewhere are wise enough to listen to the voices of their own people, build on this work and put an end to the flagrant human rights abuses represented by these crimes and their too-lenient penalties.