Internet cafés in Jordan : a socio-anthropological study

Abstract EN

This study aims to identify the important social changes that internet cafés have created in the city of Irbid, Jordan with respect to social networking among unrelated individuals, relations among relatives within family groups, and relations among members of non-related social groups (such as businesses, labor unions, etc.).

In addition, it attempts to determine the extent of social, cultural, and economic changes within the community that have been the direct result of new technology.

This study uses a triangulation methodology : ethnographic observation, interviewing, and the distribution of a survey to document how important technology has become in the social relationships in the Irbid community, and what important cultural changes have occurred as a result of the introduction of internet cafés.

The study population are the users of internet cafés on the University Street in Irbid and the study sample are all those who responded to the survey.

The study concludes that internet cafés have had a significant impact on individual users, their family members, friends, and society as a whole.

Internet access has not only influenced individual language usage, but also personal and intellectual growth, family relations, manners and social positions.