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ABSTRACTAs part of a qualitative-based study on the life-course of people in Aotearoa-New Zealand who formerly used methamphetamine, this paper utilises Ronel’s criminal spin theory to provide a phenomenological and situational understanding of self-control over methamphetamine use. The initial motivation for using methamphetamine for the 42 former users was typically to adhere to social norms and fit into conventional roles and expectations. While one-third lost a moderate level of control and almost two-thirds lost a lot, almost half thought they had control while using and only seven wanted to stop but could not. Despite diminished choice and narrowed interests, people who frequently use methamphetamine can control, constrain, reduce or even stop methamphetamine use when they have good reasons for doing so. Financial considerations, family commitments, work responsibilities, and recognition of the negative impacts on one’s health or functioning show those who have a stake in conventional life have the capacity to exert self-control over methamphetamine use. Self-control can be achieved by engaging in ‘self-policing’ strategies, such as implementing social and/or geographic avoidance, or by placing a financial, temporal, geographic, technological, informational or access ‘barrier’ between themselves and methamphetamine, or by exercising willpower. Self-control may be better understood as a situational concept.

As part of an interview-based qualitative study on the life-course of people who formally used methamphetamine in Aotearoa-New Zealand, this paper uses Deleuze and Guattari's rhizomatic perspective to trace the specific effects and particular relations involved in methamphetamine use. The methamphetamine-using trajectory for the 42 former users is a multifaceted and constantly fluctuating process involving multiple entries, exists, pathways, and restarts. By amplifying and enlightening the user, methamphetamine use begins by liberating desire through sending the user “out the gate,” but long-term high-dose use can end up constraining and repressing subjectivity and cyclically producing adverse psychological, emotional, interpersonal, and social effects. As a metamorphic process that produces transformative change, long-term high-dose methamphetamine use is a nonlinear rollercoaster ride that typically leads to a downward spiral whereby life stagnates, shrinks, or regresses. By undermining productive and transformative connections, the life of the long-term high-dose methamphetamine user typically—but not inevitably—involves revolving instead of evolving. Against a linear and deterministic popular media-generated narrative about methamphetamine use, a rhizomatic perspective emphasizes the potential for transformation by focusing upon the situational and interactional processes involved in users who undergo complex and varied temporary changes. From Deleuze and Guattari's perspective, disentangling from long-term high-dose methamphetamine use requires activating new relationships and possibilities for desire by forming meaningful biopsychosocial connections.

As part of the first qualitative-based research on the life-course of methamphetamine users in Aotearoa/New Zealand, this paper analyses the life domains of school, friendship and work. Through application of interactional theory, this paper increases understanding of the situational contexts and interpersonal factors that influence drug use trajectories and the transition from one life domain to another by identifying the patterns within each domain and the influence school, friendship and work exerts on drug use and, conversely, how drug use impacts on school, friendship and work. The analysis discovered 20 commonly shared adverse experiences that hindered educational and employment success and contributed to drug use, including: negative school transitions, significant turning point events, weak commitment to school, poor school attitude and performance, low academic achievement, low school and work ambition, low parental expectations, and high levels of mental health issues, delinquency, delinquent peer involvement, bullying victimisation, work victimisation, unstable careers and illegal economic activities. Specifically, it was common for interviewees to ‘track backwards’ in high school. This study highlights the importance of the educational domain for altering drug use trajectories, especially high school.

This qualitative life course-based study analyses the key circumstances preceding methamphetamine initiation. This paper utilizes Agnew’s “storylines” concept to analyse the background and situational factors that led 42 Aotearoa/New Zealanders to initiate methamphetamine. Multiple exposure to adversity across multiple life domains placed participants at heightened risk of early-onset drug use. Preceding methamphetamine initiation, the impact of social bonds and social roles were identified within the domains of family, romantic relationships, friendship and work. Whilst drug use onset broadly follows the stage theory sequence of drug use, participants did not initiate methamphetamine until age 27 on average. Initial use typically took place in a private setting among friends, family and co-workers. The initial effect was typically very positive, which greatly contributed to escalating use. Analysis revealed four main storylines, which highlight the importance of psychological state, social bonds, romantic attachmentsand social functioningin methamphetamine initiation.

Fuzhou is a major sending region of irregular migrants from China. Drawing on qualitative data gathered in emigrant sending communities from the Fuzhou region of Fujian Province in southeast China, this paper captures the main institutional elements involved in understanding irregular emigrants' behavior. By comparing rural and urban societies, several issues related to irregular migration were identified, notably, China's dual social structure; its morality-led rural society; the dominance of the filial bond within the rural Chinese family; and the effective communication exchange system in rural Chinese society. We argue that the characteristics of China's rural social structure are important contributing factors to producing and perpetuating irregular migration from Fuzhou.