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Towards an ontological politics of drug policy: Intervening through policy, evidence and method
- Source :
- The International journal on drug policy.
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Increasing attention has been paid to matters of ontology, and its accompanying politics, in the drug policy field. In this commentary, we consider what an ‘ontological politics’ might mean for how we think about what drug policy is and what it might become, as well as for how we think about (and do) research in drug policy. Thinking ontopolitically questions the tacitly accepted status of ‘drug problems’, calls into question the realist presumptions which underpin much drug policy analysis, and provokes thinking about what counts as ‘evidence’ and the ‘evidence-based policy’ paradigm itself. We call attention to the inventive possibilities of method when grappling with the challenges thrown forth by the ontological turn, with a renewed focus on practice and relations. An ontological politics disrupts consensual claims and draws critical attention to objects that might otherwise appear ‘finished’ or ‘ready-made’, not least the things we call ‘drugs’ and ‘drug policy’. Working with ‘drug policy multiples’ invites new thinking and dialogue to provoke an ethico-political mode of intervention in the field of drug policy and drugs research.
- Subjects :
- Health Policy
Field (Bourdieu)
030508 substance abuse
Medicine (miscellaneous)
Policy analysis
Focus (linguistics)
Epistemology
03 medical and health sciences
Politics
Intervention (law)
0302 clinical medicine
Political science
Performativity
Ontology
030212 general & internal medicine
0305 other medical science
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 18734758
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The International journal on drug policy
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....32ecd43c7db2c3b05c8d9c85b0ba873c