Institutional Autonomy of the Intelligence Services Under Authoritarianism 

My primary research seeks to expand our understanding of coercive institutions under authoritarianism. In my dissertation, I explore the sources and political implications of the intelligence services’ institutional autonomy through a study of the Jordanian General Intelligence Directorate (GID). The ascent of the GID and the expansion of its political and social influence presents a puzzle; How did the institution become so influential, and how does this square with what we know about authoritarianism? Institutions like the GID, the intelligence services, or secret police are thought of primarily as the regime’s guardians. Their raison d'être is to protect the regime from existential threats, both internally and externally. There is extensive literature on the relationship between the regime and coercive apparatus in authoritarian regimes. However, it does not explain the autonomy of the security services and its implications. How do we account for the relative levels of autonomy of these security institutions? What drives the variation in institutional autonomy of these institutions over time?

My dissertation traces the establishment and development of the GID from 1952, when it was known as the General Investigation Department, until the present day. I highlight key moments in the Mukhabarat’s history, such as Black September in the 1970s, the transition from King Hussein to King Abdullah II, the immediate post- 9/11 period and the Amman hotel bombings of 2005, the Arab Spring and its aftermath, and the rise of ISIS. By focusing on times of crisis, I examine how the Mukhabarat has taken advantage of moments of heightened insecurity to become more autonomous. I rely on data from interviews with policymakers, policy-influencers, and civil society members in Jordan and the United States over 12 months of fieldwork in Jordan and archival documents on Jordan’s internal politics at the British and U.S. National Archives.

Related Works:

Public Scholarship:

Articles in Progress:

  • “Dollar Driven Dominance: American Security Assistance and the Empowerment of the Security Services in Jordan"

  • “Power Through Policing: Reassessing the Role of the Mukhabarat in Counterterrorism”

  • “Unpacking the ‘Security Services’: Assessing the Relative Autonomy of Coercive Institutions Under Authoritarianism” (with Salah Ben Hammou). 

Counterterrorism Law Making and Enforcement 

Furthermore, my research aims to explore the instrumentalization and implications of counterterrorism law. I am interested in the creation and enforcement of counterterrorism laws as joint productions of the regime and state security institutions. The expansion and invocation of counterterrorism laws and repression go hand in hand. As such, I hope to develop a richer understanding of the processes and mechanisms that unfold upon the adoption, expansion, and enforcement of counterterrorism laws that further entrench authoritarianism. Through the lens of counterterrorism law, I aim to explore the intersection of international security objectives, the power of policing, and authoritarian survival. 

Related Works:

Journal Articles:

  • Rubio, R. (2022). Preventative Plasticities: Legal Ambiguities in Jordanian Counterterrorism Legislation, Arab Law Quarterly (published online ahead of print 2022). doi: https://doi.org/10.1163/15730255-bja10109

Public Scholarship:

Articles in Progress: 

  •  “Cooperative Counterterrorism Policing: Exploring the Internationalization of Repression in Arab States"

  • “The War on Dissent? Analyzing the Use of Counterterrorism Legislation for Repression in the Post-Arab Spring Period”