Reflections on 40 Years of Ethnographic Drug Abuse Research: Implications for the Future

• Author: Robert G. Carlson,Merrill Singer,Claire E. Sterk,Richard C. Stephens
• Date: 01 January 2009
• DOI: 10.1177/002204260903900106
• Published date: 01 January 2009
• Subject Matter: Article

© 2009 BY THE JOURNAL OF DRUG ISSUES

JOURNAL OF DRUG ISSUES 0022-0426/09/01 57-70

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Robert G. Carlson is Director of the Center for Interventions, Treatment and Addictions Research

and Professor in the Department of Community Health, Wright State University Boonschoft School of

Medicine. Merrill Singer, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Health, Intervention and

Prevention and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Connecticut. Richard C. Stephens, Ph.D.,

is currently Interim Director of the Institute for Health and Social Policy at The University of Akron. He is

Professor Emeritus of Sociology and former Director of the Institute. Claire E. Sterk, Ph.D., is Charles

Howard Candler Professor in Public Health at Emory University and Senior Vice Provost for Academic

Affairs. She specializes in ethnographic and mixed-methods research and prevention interventions with

a focus on drug use, health, crime, and intergenerational dynamics.

REFLECTIONS ON 40 YEARS OF ETHNOGRAPHIC DRUG

ABUSE RESEARCH: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE

ROBERT G. CARLSON, MERRILL SINGER, RICHARD C. STEPHENS, CLAIRE E. STERK

This paper focuses on past, present, and potential future contributions of

ethnographic research to describing and understanding “street cultures” of drug

use and the implications these have for informing various interventions. The f‌i rst

section provides an overview of ethnography and drug abuse research. This is

followed by a historical perspective on the ethnography of street cultures. Next, the

signif‌i cance of ethnographic drug abuse research is highlighted, with a focus on its

methodology. Ethnographic contributions to the development, implementation, and

evaluation of interventions are discussed, including ethical issues. Subsequently,

the interdisciplinary nature of ethnographic drug abuse research is described.

Methodological challenges emerged over time as the def‌i nition of street cultures

and drug trends shifted. These are illustrated with examples, including the use of

prescription drugs, new heroin users, and rural drug and methamphetamine use.

The f‌i nal sections focus on career opportunities for ethnographers and opportunities

and barriers for the future. We address training needs for interdisciplinary inquiry,

the potential role of ethnographers in prevention and treatment research, and the

link to studies on the brain and genetics. The future of ethnographic research on

drug use will be inf‌l uenced by the funding structure. We conclude with a summary

of ref‌l ections on the past and aspirations for the future.

INTRODUCTION

Ethnographic research is known for its ability to explore cultures, including

more hidden cultures, such as the “street cultures” of drug users that are the focus of