Submissive Strength: Women’s Agency and Resistance in Jordan, 2024

These photos, captured during two months of Anthropological field research in Madaba, Jordan, explore how women navigate life within a patriarchal society. Across diverse backgrounds, they turn tradition into strategy, transforming roles that might seem restrictive into ways to gain influence, security, and respect. Um Ra’ed, a widow and Syrian refugee, becomes the pillar of her household after fleeing war. Dr. Maha, a bedouin woman, leverages her father’s legacy to lead community programs and command authority. Ikram balances independence with family expectations, while Ahlam uses familial duties to maintain her place in the home. Together, their stories reveal how Jordanian women quietly wield power, reshape norms, and assert agency within constrained systems.