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Taylor, Stuart
(2024).
URL: https://www.eurocrim2024.com/
Abstract
It is one thing to critically analyse and bemoan how dominant constructions of drugs bolster the wider reductionist drugs discourse (see Taylor, 2008, 2016, Ayres and Taylor 2020, 2022, 2023) but quite another to challenge these. This paper draws on recent experiences which have highlighted how media framing of drugs, drugs use and drug related issues continue to ‘force the facts of social life through the sieve of dominant ideology’ (Reinarman and Duskin, 1992: 15). It foremostly focuses on my recent role as academic consultant on the BBC produced Drugs Map of Britain series, which provided an 8-part insight into emerging patterns of drug use among young people across the UK. Overall, this proved a steep learning curve and by engaging in this process it remains unclear whether I influenced things for ‘the better’ or was complicit with the very structural circuits surrounding drugs and their use that critical drugs scholars bemoan. That said, more was certainly learnt more about those circuits and there is a story to be told about how they are continuing dominant – and harmful – constructions of drugs and drug use. Whilst as academics we may not win the war against such powerful structures - the reluctance of producers to explore aspects of drug related pleasure and their disproportionate focus on drug users drawn from marginalised communities typifying this – we can win the odd battle by encouraging a more nuanced portrayal of key social issues. That said, this series largely failed to step outside of convenient and conventional stereotypes and the fact that so many of the individual case studies were in the midst of serious health/wellbeing problems appeared deeply problematic and questions whether we, as criminologists, should understand such engagement as value adding and/or ethical.
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
