Mobilizing drug policy activism: conferences, convergence spaces and ephemeral fixtures in social movement mobilization

Abstract

This paper explores the role of conferences as “convergence space”: temporary events with lasting material effects. Drawing on three harm reduction conferences occurring between 2011 and 2012, I argue that conferences are both ephemeral fixtures in the landscape of policy activism, and are important nodes through which policy mobilization occurs. Conference spaces provide opportunities for ideas to be shared, produced and advocated. They serve as important sites for the construction of relationships that are required to form and maintain policy advocacy networks and harness political opportunity structures for drug policy reform.

Keywords:

• convergence space
• policy mobilities
• social movements
• drug policy
• harm reduction
• conferences

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank those organizers, activists and others who took the time to speak with me for this work. I would also like to thank Eugene McCann, Byron Miller, Ian Cook, and Tyler McCreary for comments on an earlier draft. Thanks to Ronan Paddison, Stewart Williams, and Barney Warf for their editorial guidance. And to the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. Responsibility for the argument is of course entirely my own.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. These four subsets of actors are in no way considered static or hermetically sealed. There can be overlap and actors may change roles over time.