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Creating Consent in an Illiberal Order: Policing Disputes in Jordan

Hardback

Main Details

Title Creating Consent in an Illiberal Order: Policing Disputes in Jordan
Authors and Contributors      By (author) Jessica Watkins
SeriesCambridge Middle East Studies
Physical Properties
Format:Hardback
Pages:288
Dimensions(mm): Height 235,Width 156
Category/GenreHistory
Asian and Middle Eastern history
ISBN/Barcode 9781009098618
ClassificationsDewey:363.2095695
Audience
General
Illustrations Worked examples or Exercises

Publishing Details

Publisher Cambridge University Press
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publication Date 9 June 2022
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

Middle Eastern police forces have a reputation for carrying out repression and surveillance on behalf of authoritarian regimes, despite frequently under enforcing the law. But what is their role in co-creating and sustaining social order? In this book, Jessica Watkins focuses on the development of the Jordanian police institution to demonstrate that rather than being primarily concerned with law enforcement, the police are first and foremost concerned with order. In Jordan, social order combines the influence of longstanding tribal practices with regime efforts to promote neoliberal economic policies alongside a sense of civic duty amongst citizens. Rather than focusing on the 'high policing' of offences deemed to threaten state security, Watkins explores the 'low policing' of interpersonal disputes including assault, theft, murder, traffic accidents, and domestic abuse to shed light on the varied strategies of power deployed by the police alongside other societal actors to procure hegemonic 'consent'.

Author Biography

Jessica Watkins is a Research Associate at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies and a Visiting Fellow at the Middle East Centre, London School of Economics. In 2015, she won the Elsevier outstanding thesis award and was runner-up for the Leigh Douglas Memorial Prize for best PhD dissertation on the Middle East. She previously worked in Iraq as a civilian translator with British forces and Iraqi police.

Reviews

'Jessica Watkins unparalleled study of policing in Jordan provides both a tremendous amount of new empirical material as well as theoretical grist for understanding the production and maintenance of social order. While this book is a must read for Jordan studies, its compelling theoretical contributions should not be missed by those interested in the production of social order.' Jillian Schwedler, Hunter College 'In authoritarian states, the practices of everyday policing are too often ignored in favor of elite politics. No more: Watkins' brilliant study of Jordan shows how law, order, and consent come together to shape the rhythms of ordinary social life. This is an impressive feat.' Sean Yom, Temple University