Between street and screen: traditions and innovations in the drugs field

Changes take place swiftly in the European drug situation and in social drug research. To a large extent, these developments are fuelled by technological innovations. Like many other people, drug users, drug dealers and drug researchers increasingly make use of electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, laptops, tablets, the Internet, apps, etc. These devices share one thing: the screen. These developments mean that researchers no longer need to go to locations where drug users congregate to conduct ‘real life’ observations or interviews. Given these rapid technological developments and new opportunities, one could almost forget that, in most cases, people use drugs together with other people in a real life setting. The challenge for social drug research is therefore to find the right balance between street and screen. This book includes contributions from researchers that illustrate the relevance and value of classic ethnographic methods in contemporary research, and also show that sociological concepts and theories from the twentieth century can still be helpful in understanding new phenomena in the drug field. The authors discuss the implications of the use of the screen for policymakers and practitioners in the field of law enforcement, prevention, harm reduction and treatment. Together, the various chapters present a state-of-the-art picture of the diversity in today’s world of drug use and drug distribution. Marije Wouters is an Assistant Professor at the Bonger Institute of Criminology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Jane Fountain is a research consultant and an Emeritus Professor at the University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom.