Warriors, Victims, and Vulnerable Regions

Abstract

Chapter 1 develops the concepts and themes that theoretically underpin the book. They help move beyond the dichotomous understanding of drug policies as the securitized status quo of the War on Drugs on the one hand, and the desecuritization of drug policies on the other. The chapter proposes a framework constructed around three main features, which allows to analytically unpack the distinct repercussions of the world drug problem at multiple levels. These features include (i) the concept of global security that includes people, in addition to political entities, as referent objects; (ii) the relevance of a ‘glocal’ analysis that links a bottom-up approach with a macro-perspective on the illicit production, trade, and use of drugs; and (iii) a focus on vulnerable regions across the globe and their societies’ perspectives on how to best tackle the world drug problem. The chapter discusses why these features are conducive to more effective drug policies and serve as entry points to transform the War on Drugs. The chapter demonstrates the analytical utility of a critical approach to drug policies.