International Journal of Drug Policy 10 (1999) 71–74

Update

The Race and Drugs Project�

Kazim Khan *

Race and Drugs Project, Department of Sociology, City Uni6ersity, Northampton Square, London ECIV OHB, UK

1. Introduction

The Race and Drugs Project exists toprovide research, consultancy, development,evaluation, training and general technicalsupport for public and private sector agen-cies, community based organisations and in-dividuals on issues of drug use and abuseaffecting black and other visible non-Eu-ropean minority populations.

The Race and Drugs Project offers a dis-tinctive approach on issues of race and cul-ture in comparison/contrast with mostapproaches on offer in the UK or elsewhere.This approach is based upon the rigorousand pioneering theoretical work carried outby what was the City University’s ‘‘Race andCulture Policy Research Unit’’ (RCPRU)during the 1980s, culminating with the publi-cation of two key texts: ‘‘Anti-Racist Strate-gies’’ (1990), and ‘‘Where You Belong’’

(1992). The thinking of the Race and DrugsProject has developed since to carry theoryand practice further, especially on the re-search and policy front. To put it succinctly,the view of the Project is that for race equal-ity in policy and practice to be effective, theissues it seeks to raise need to become anintegral part of the work of researchers, pol-icy makers and government. Race equalityhas been perceived and presented for far toolong as a militancy, forever standing outsidemainstream discussion. For the Race andDrugs Project, race equality is simply goodorganisational management and practicereflecting the ongoing demographic changesdue to the migration and settlement of popu-lations into Europe. These shifts designate anecessary and commensurate modification inthe focus of research, planning, funding andmanagement of ‘traditional approaches’, inorder for the latter to come into alignmentwith a changed and changing reality.

The Project was established in 1995 in re-sponse to the fact that the provision of pre-vention, care and treatment services for blackand other non-European visible minoritieshad been a very under-investigated area, a

� As from 1 March, 1999, the Race and Drugs Projectexpects to move to the University of Middlesex, Queensway,Enfield, Middlesex, EN3 4SF. New telephone, fax and e-mailco-ordinates will be made available in due course.

* Tel: +44-171-477-8537/8539; fax: +44-171-477-8536; e-mail: k.khan@city.ac.uk.

PII: S 0955 -3959 (98 )00070 -X

Update / The Race and Drugs Project72

fact confirmed by a thorough literature sur-vey and by previous research and develop-ment work in the field Therefore, it originatesfrom a number of concerns and considera-tions� the considerable in-house experience and

expertise in the area of drug abuse, publicsector services and race equality issues,based upon previous in-depth knowledgeof the field of drugs misuse through re-search and work experience combined witha distinctive approach to issues of ‘race’and culture;

� the realisation, based also on previouswork and experience that specialist drugservices in Europe had a long way to go ineffectively and adequately meeting theneeds of black and other visible minoritydrug users, the majority of whom continueto remain either a part of the hidden pop-ulation of drug users, who are not in touchwith services, or who are misdiagnosedand directed disproportionately towardsthe criminal justice system, or towardspsychiatric care;

� the needs of the communities such drugusers and their families belong to were notbeing appropriately and adequately metwith regard to drug use awareness. educa-tion and prevention;

� the growing awareness, facilitated throughthe work of the RCPRU, of which theRace and Drugs Project is a part, thatinitiatives on race and public services haveto, from the outset, be an integral part ofa comprehensive and integrated approach,rather than the bolted on adjuncts they,for the most part, at present would appearto be;

� the expectation that whilst the primaryfocus of the Project is on specialist drugservices there will also be general raceequality spin-offs for public and indepen-dent sector agencies, purchasers, policymakers and other decision making fora;

� the desire to contribute to the constructionof a socially cohesive and pluralist Europe,within and across EU member statesthrough alliances, networks and partner-ships.The Race and Drugs Project has developed

as a pan-European resource, information andconsultancy centre in the specialist area ofrace, drugs and black and other visible mi-norities. It receives researchers, practitioners,students and other visitors from the UK andabroad. It is frequently approached toprovide consultancy (offered free to thosejust starting up in this area of work), evalua-tion and training, as well as trainers, speakersand workshop facilitators. In response to in-creasing demands on limited resources theRace and Drugs Project has now a develop-ing network of Associates with relevant ex-pertise and skills.

2. Project structure

The Project is presently based within theDepartment of Sociology, City University. Itis managed overall by Kazim Kban, Re-search Fellow. He is assisted by an adminis-trator. There is an advisory group consistingof academics, professionals and internationalcorrespondents who can be called upon foradvice and support The Project can also callupon a number of Associates to act as con-sultants, researchers and trainers.

The Race and Drugs Project is linked intoa number of pan-European networks in thefield of drug abuse, notably Toxicomanie:Europe-Echanges-Etudes (T3E), a networkfor peer training and exchange placements,for which the Project acts as the UK co-ordi-nator—it has also actively collaborated withERIT, European Foundation of Drug Tele-phone Helplines (FESAT) and HIV/AIDS,Drugs and Gypsies Network (GITANO).

Update / The Race and Drugs Project 73

The Project has also identified and co-ordi-nates a network of agencies and individualsacross the European Union (including theUK) with an interest in working on issues ofrace and drugs. This now forms a T3E spe-cialist network of exchange of informationand of placements.

Within the UK the Project co-ordinatesboth general and specialist T3E network ac-tivities. It has established links with theMerseyside Black Drug Workers Forum(BDWF); has submitted evidence on requestto the Council for Race Relations; and gener-ally keeps an open door policy of co-opera-tion with the relevant bodies both in the fieldof race equality and of drug abuse throughthe exchange of information, alliances andpartnerships on common goals andobjectives.

3. Work and activities of the Project1995–1996

� A qualitative and quantitative research au-dit was undertaken of specialist drug ser-vices in France, the Netherlands, Portugaland the UK and their ability to meet theneeds of visible minority communities.This work was financed and supported bythe European Commission. A report,¬Race–Drugs–Europe’ Vol. 1, was pub-lished in August 1997. It is available onrequest from the Project. (Price ST£6.90,including postage and packing).

� A 3-day workshop on drugs and minorityethnic communities was organised at theERIT Conference, Paris, February 1996.An evaluation of ‘Dare to Care’, a blackmanaged prevention and treatment servicefor drug users in Liverpool was done onbehalf of Task Force Granby1996–1997

� Another qualitative research audit andevaluation was done of specialist drug ser-vices this time in Belgium, Germany andItaly on their ability to meet the needs ofblack and other visible minority drugusers. This was carried out on behalf ofT3E and supported by the European Com-mission. (Report in preparation).

� Consultancy, technical and training sup-port was provided for the FESAT Projecton working with minority ethnic commu-nities; for the PHARE Multi-DisciplinaryApproach to the Global Drugs Phe-nomenon with reference to the gypsy pop-ulation in Bulgaria.

� The Race and Drugs project planned andorganised the T3E Summer University inBristol on the theme Responding to DrugUse Amongst Black and other Visible Mi-nority Communities. (Report to be pub-lished during 1999).1997–1999

� Provided consultancy, evaluation andtechnical support for a T3E Pilot Pro-gramme (September 1997–February 1999)working with different specialist drug pre-vention and treatment institutions in theEU which have volunteered to pilot raceequality based changes, informed by thefindings and recommendations of theProject’s previous work.

� Gave a key-note presentation at theMadrid Conference on HIV/AIDS, Drugsand Gypsies, organised by the GITANO,‘Race and Addiction’.

� Conducted a seminar at the ERIT Confer-ence, Bologna, February 1998.

� Made a presentation, ‘Race, Drugs andPrevalence’ at a meeting with the Govern-ment’s National Drugs Strategy Co-Ordi-nator and his deputy, at Manchester, 20February, 1998.

� Gave a 1 day training seminar, ‘TacklingHIV/AIDS and Drugs Issues amongst the

Update / The Race and Drugs Project74

Visible Minority Populations’ for socialworkers, nurses, counsellors and otherprofessionals, organised by SeRT (ReggioEmilia).

� Facilitated a drugs working group forWestminster Race Equality Council(REC), autumn/winter 1998.

� Provided ‘Drug Demand and Drug HarmReduction Training for Mediators Work-ing with Visible Minority Populations andwith Women’, Lisbon, December 1998(Paul Desson and Madeleine Hemnegan,Project Associates).

4. Development programme

� T3E Pilot Programme (March 1999–Au-gust 2000): a continuation of present activ-ities through involvement of andpartnerships with more institutions acrossEU in order to enhance nation-specificmodels of race-equality based good organ-isational management and practice.

� Race, Culture and Drug Dependence: topilot a research and evaluation pro-gramme on issues raised by culture anddependence, focusing on the UK in thefirst instance. A draft outline is being pre-pared prior to approaching potentialfunders.

� Community Based and Community Partic-ipatory Drugs Harm Reduction: a partner-ship research, evaluation, communitydevelopment and training programme withgovernmental and independent partnersfocusing on Guyana, India and SouthAfrica. The Department for InternationalDevelopment (OID) and the National Lot-teries Charities Board have been ap-proached for financial support. (forresubmission 1999).

� Approaches and Strategies by European

Trade Unions in the Struggle AgainstRacism and Discrimination on the LabourMarket and at the Workplace: in Eu-ropean partnership with Institut fur Inter-nationale Sozialforschung (INFIS) fromFreiburg and in national collaborationwith the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

� Community Sentencing of Drug RelatedOffenders: jointly with Dr. John Marsdenof the National Addiction centre (NAC).

5. Project Associates

Gilbert Browne (Thames University), RickiCambridge (New Directions), Dr PeterFraser (Goldsmiths University), Dr JohnMarsden (National Addiction Centre),Neville Leroy (Social Change Partnership,Liverpool), Kenroy Cole (Simba Project),Paul Desson (Merseyside REC) andMadeleine Hennegan (Liverpool).

6. Advisory group

Professor Susanne MacGregor (Universityof Middlesex), Professor Stephan Feucht-wang, (City University) and Harry Shapiro(Institute for the Study of Drug Depen-dence).

7. International correspondents

Professor Antoine Lazarus (University ofBobigny, Paris), Terry Williams (AssociateProfessor, New School of Social Research,New York), Jean-Pierre Demange (PresidentT3E), Jose Manuel Fresno (AssociacionGITANO, Madrid), Dr Carlos Fugas (CATRestelo, Lisbon) and Professor Dr HansVolker Happet (Frankfurt).

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