Challenging global debate on drug laws

Scholars, activists and policy experts were brought together for the Theorising the Drug War Conference organised by the School of Law.

The aim was to expand the scope of research into drug policy by viewing drug prohibition as a contemporary example of the role that ideology continues to play in questions of the law.

The conference was co organised by Kojo Koram from the School of Law at Essex and Nayeli Urquiza from Kent Law School, with support from the International Centre Human Rights and Drug Policy. The event provided an opportunity to examine this ideology from a multidisciplinary and critical perspective.

Kojo said: “We enjoyed contributions that used different methodologies and disciplines within the humanities and social sciences to provide readings on how the drug war impacts topics from gender relations to notions of human dignity to race and criminal justice.

Those contributing included Senior Director at Drug Policy Alliance Asha Bandele , Oscar Guardiola-Rivera from Birkbeck College and Executive Director at Release Niamh Eastwood.

Kojo said: “This event was generously supported by funding from the Open Society Foundation and we hope that this event will be the basis for a research network that can further scholarship on this topic.”

For further information please contact Kojo Koram at the School of Law.