Drugs, Policy and Social Change (DPSC) is a new research group within the Department of Sociology in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

Icon of a green capsule pill, a blue policy icon, a pink icon representing a person and a green oval icon with 2 arrows, representing change on a dark green background.

About us

Our vision seeks to better understand the meaning of drugs within contexts, cultures and communities and connect this knowledge to societal responses, including approaches to policy, practice, and media discourse.

Our team

The DPSC team draws on a broad interdisciplinary theoretical framework which includes, criminology, sociology, economics, social psychology and cultural studies.

Illustrated collage of people and various objects, including a gavel, newspaper, wine, pills, syringe, TV, and a graduation cap.
Photograph of exterior of Manchester Met University

Latest Events

ISDDP 25 @ Man Met

DSPC Director and ISSDP trustee Rebecca Askew will be hosting the 18th annual ISSDP conference at Manchester Metropolitan University from the 11 to 13 June 2025.

Read the blog

Reimagining Drug Policy through collective and creative methodologies. Bright, bold typography on dark green background.

Welcome to the DPSC blog

December 2, 2024

Hello and welcome to the brand new Drugs Policy and Social Change ( DPSC) blog. Drugs, Policy and Social Change…