I am Director of Studies for Undergraduate Criminology and a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Kent’s School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research. See the rest of our Criminology team.

To date, the focus of my research has been the intricacies of drug policy at the European level.  I began my interest in this area with a PhD investigating the different paradigms of drug policy operating in Europe and exploring the possibility of an integrated European drug policy. 

Over the last eight years I have continued in this vein, publishing articles on the stability of drug policy within Europe, the role of the new European member states in defining drug policy and the relevance of multi-level governance as a policy strategy for the field of illicit drugs. 

I have also recently published on the empowerment of drug users and their ability to effectively influence drug policy at a national and international level and the effect of changes in EU governance on European drug policy more generally. In 2011, I published, with Palgrave McMillan, a research monograph in this area entitled ‘Drug Policy Harmonization and the European Union’.

Since taking up my lectureship at the University of Kent, I have been engaged in the development of three research projects in the wider field of illicit drugs. The first of these has used internet research methodologies to investigate cannabis markets in the UK; the second has gathered oral histories of lifelong cannabis users in an effort to explore the impact cannabis smoking has had on career, relationships, family, health and wellbeing; the third has explored drug taking in the context of subculture and normalisation within the psychedelic trance scene.

I am currently working as the special advisor to the Home Affairs sub-committee of the House of Lords European Select Committee.

Find me:
On Twitter
On Academia 

• Chatwin, C. (2011)  Drug Policy Harmonization and the European Union  Palgrave McMillan.
• Chatwin, C. (2010) ‘Have recent evolutions in European governance brought harmonisation in the field of illicit drugs any closer’, Drugs and Alcohol Today, 10, 26-32.
• Chatwin, C. (2010) ‘User involvement in the illegal drugs field: what can Britain learn from European experiences’ Safer Communities, 9, 51-60.
• Chatwin, C. (2008) ‘Parental use of alcohol and illicit drugs: a critical review of recent research’ in P. Kennison and A. Goodman’s (Eds) Children as Victims Learning Matters Ltd.
• Chatwin, C. (2007). ‘Multi-level governance: the way forward for European illicit drug policy?’ The International Journal of Drug Policy, 18, 494-502.
• Chatwin, C. (2004). ‘The effects of new member states of the European Union on drug policy.’ Drugs: education, prevention and policy, 11, 437-448.
• Chatwin, C. (2003). ‘Drug Policy Developments within the European Union: The Destabilizing Effects of Dutch and Swedish Drug Policies’. The British Journal of Criminology, 43, 567-582.

 

Research interests

Since taking up my lectureship at SSPSSR, University of Kent, I have published widely in the field of European drug policy and have also been engaged in the development of three research projects in the wider field of illicit drugs. 

The first of these has used internet research methodologies to investigate cannabis markets in the UK; the second has gathered oral histories of lifelong cannabis users in an effort to explore the impact cannabis smoking has had on career, relationships, family, health and wellbeing; the third has explored drug taking in the context of subculture and normalisation within the psychedelic trance scene. These projects are in the process of being written up.

Supervision

I welcome PhD applicants in any of these fields. If you are interested in studying at the University of Kent, please email me to discuss further.

Editorial

• The Guardian
• Comment is Free

Media appearances

Podomatic - Shamanic Freedom Radio episode 79: Caroline Chatwin and William Rowlandson at Breaking Convention, and a monologue about the England riots