In mid-2019, the SSAC team (now the DruGS team) was invited to host the Qualitative Methods Journal Club of the Society for the Study of Addiction. The club provides a forum for qualitative alcohol and other drug researchers and students to share knowledge, discuss methodological issues and promote high quality qualitative research. As a qualitative research program focussed on introducing cutting edge social theory to the alcohol and other drugs field, we were keen to be involved in an initiative that promotes qualitative research.

Convened by Dr Adrian Farrugia and attended by DruGS team members Dr Duane Duncan, Nyssa Ferguson, Emily Lenton and Gemma Nourse, the group produced six blogposts on articles addressing a diverse range of alcohol and other drug-related topics including; embodiment and drug treatment; pleasure in drug consumption rooms; stigma and parents who consume drugs; ‘party and play’ or ‘chemsex’ practices; contexts of party drug consumption; and gender, alcohol and sex.

For the DruGS team, hosting the journal club has been a great opportunity to revisit exemplary scholarship and exciting new work. It has been especially productive for our PhD students, who had the opportunity to discuss specific pieces in depth with more experienced team members.

As Adrian explains,

Journal club meetings allowed us to spend time discussing strong examples of qualitative research. Expanding the audience for qualitative research in the alcohol and other drugs field is very important. Qualitative research is essential for understanding alcohol and other drug issues but remains somewhat overlooked by some of the major journals in the field. We’re looking forward to reading the posts produced by the next group to host the club. 

Journal club meetings:

April 2020: Jensen, M. & Hunt, G. (2019). Young women’s narratives on sex in the context of heavy alcohol use: Friendships, gender norms and the sociality of consent. International Journal of Drug Policy. DOI:10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.07.021

March 2020: Dilkes-Frayne, E. (2014). Tracing the ‘event’ of drug use: ‘Context’ and the coproduction of a night out on MDMA. Contemporary Drug Problems, 41(3), 445-479.

February 2020: Race, K. (2015). ‘Party and Play’: Online hook-up devices and the emergence of PNP practices among gay men. Sexualities, 18(3), 253-275.

January 2020: valentine, k., Smyth, C. & Newland, J. (2019). ‘Good enough’ parenting: Negotiating standards and stigma. International Journal of Drug Policy, 68, 117-123.

December 2019: Duncan, T., Duff, C., Sebar, B. and Lee, J. (2017). ‘Enjoying the kick’: Locating pleasure within the drug consumption room. International Journal of Drug Policy, 49, 92-101.

November 2019: Schlosser, A. (2018). ‘They medicated me out’: Social flesh and embodied citizenship in addiction treatment. Contemporary Drug Problems, 45(3), 188-207