Impression Management in Bottom-level UK Drug Markets. A Case Study of Multi-face Dealers in Kent's Coastal Towns

本研究的主要目的是为毒贩身份的相关文献提供一个创新的理论贡献。它打算通过两种方式做到这一点：首先，通过关注经常被忽视的毒品供应部分（BL市场），该项目将有助于我们了解毒贩身份和市场的碎片化。其次，通过将焦点从理性行为者的角度转移，并首先将毒贩视为社会代理人，本项目将在探索非犯罪角色在犯罪活动发展中的相关性方面是独一无二的（这里是毒品交易）。该项目还打算为我们了解非城市环境中的毒品交易活动提供实质性的经验贡献，这里是肯特郡的沿海城镇。该项目以BL毒品市场为重点，旨在对IO毒品交易商的活动进行详细描述，并评估交易在多大程度上属于职业或补充正常生活方式。最后，本研究还旨在通过指出媒体和镇压机构对典型毒贩的使用与肯特郡IO毒贩的生活现实之间的差异，为毒品政策的制定做出贡献。因此，本项目旨在评估当考虑到BL药品市场IO供应商的特点时，原型经销商的主导地位作为经销商的压倒一切的概念在多大程度上是合理的。方法（3年计划）：第一年：文献综述+媒介分析+探索性田野工作。这一年将为最终的文献综述奠定基础。目的是在适应理论（Layder 1998）的过程中，在总共三年的时间里完善它。第一年的主要研究活动是建立和分析一个关于英国毒品交易的报纸数据库（三份英国大报和三份小报）。初步研究问题（RQ）：“毒贩和毒品市场如何在英国报纸上出现？”接下来，将进行探索性的实地研究，包括对IO毒贩的生活史访谈。初步RQ：“在多大程度上，IO药品供应商参与肯特郡LB市场是理性选择的产物？”这项研究也是准备二年级人种学研究的第一步。年二世。二年级的主要研究活动包括在肯特郡一个沿海城镇进行民族志研究。在1年的时间里，8名参与者将被跟踪很长一段时间。观察不同时期不同社会领域的IO毒贩子是研究者的明确目的。接下来的参与者将在至少4个不同的场合接受广泛的采访，在人种志中间歇性地间隔。虽然对这些IO供应商的生活和他们经营的市场进行了详尽的描述，但人种学研究的初步RQ是：“IO毒贩的非法和合法角色之间的冲突在多大程度上影响了底层毒品市场的毒品交易活动？”“这次实地考察将辅以在坎特伯雷刑事法庭的参与观察，以毒品交易案件为目标。”法庭观察和对3名法官的采访将被用来评估法官在多大程度上依赖于毒贩的典型概念来量刑。2 .初步RQ：在对IO毒贩子量刑过程中，法官在多大程度上受到毒贩子原型观念的影响？第三年。三角测量数据和撰写最终产品最终注：建立在难以接触的人群的独特和既定途径上在开始这一学术之旅之前，该研究人员是HMP elely的居民，因毒品指控而被拘留。被允许重建，我现在发现自己能够调查我曾经参与的毒品市场。

The main aim of this study is to deliver an innovative theoretical contribution to the literature surrounding drug dealer identities. It intends to do so in two ways: First, by focusing on an often neglected segment of drug supply (the BL markets), this project will contribute to our understanding of the fragmentation of drug dealer identities and markets. Secondly, through shifting the focus away from the rational actor perspective and conceiving of drugs dealers as social agents in the first place, this project will be unique in exploring the relevance of non-criminal roles in the development of criminal activities (here IO drugs dealing). The project also intends to deliver a substantial empirical contribution to our knowledge of drugs dealing activities in a non-urban environment, here Kent's Coastal towns. With the focus on BL drugs markets, this project aims to offer a thick description on the activities of IO drugs dealers and aims to assess to what extent dealing is occupational or supplements a normalised lifestyle.Finally, this study also aims to contribute to the development of drugs policy by pointing at the found discrepancies between the use of the archetypical drugs dealer by media and repression agencies and the lived realities of Kent's IO drugs dealers. As such this project aims to assess to what extent the archetypal dealers' dominance as the overriding concept of dealers is justified when taking the characteristics of IO suppliers in BL drugs markets into account.Methodology (3 Year plan):1. Year I: Literature Review + Media Analysis + Explorative FieldworkIn this year, the basis of the final literature review will be laid. The aim is to refine it in a process of adaptive theory (Layder 1998) over the total three years. The main research activity of year I is the construction and analysis of a newspaper database (three UK broadsheets and three tabloids) on drugs dealing in the UK. Preliminary research question (RQ): 'How are drug dealers and drug markets represented in UK newspapers?'Next, an exploratory field study will be conducted including life history interviewing of IO drugs dealers. Preliminary RQ: 'To what extent is the involvement of IO drugs suppliers in Kent's LB markets the product of rational choice?' This study is also a first step in preparing the ethnographic study in year II.2. Year II. A Close-to-home Ethnography Including Repetitive InterviewingThe main research activity of year II involves ethnographic research in a Kent coastal town. Over the timespan of 1 year, eight participants will be shadowed for a substantial amount of time. It is the explicit aim of the researcher to observe IO drug dealers in different social fields at different times. Next participants will be extensively interviewed on at least 4 separate occasions, spaced intermittently throughout the ethnography. While offering a thick description of the lives of these IO suppliers and the markets in which they operate, the preliminary RQ of the ethnographic study is: 'To what extent does the conflict between illicit and legit roles of IO drugs dealers impact drugs dealing activities in low bottom drugs markets?'This fieldwork will be supplemented with participant observation at Canterbury Crown Court, targeting drugs dealer cases. Court observations and interviews with 3 judges will be used to assess to what extent judges rely on archetypical conceptions of drugs dealers in setting sentences. Preliminary RQ: to what extent are judges in the sentencing process of IO drugs dealers influenced by the archetypical conception of the drugs dealers?3. Year III. Triangulating Data and Writing the Final ProductFinal Note: Building on Unique and Established Access to a Hard-to-Reach PopulationBefore starting this academic journey, the researcher was a resident of HMP Elemly, held on drug charges. Allowed to rebuild, I now find myself able to investigate the drug markets I was once a part of.