Thursday, March 18: Discussion with Dirk Korf, University of Amsterdam

We were pleased to have a solid two hours with one of the most-published researchers in drug policy in the Netherlands, Dirk Korf. He heard from each of the students their particular interests and then reflected on each topic in turn. It was interesting to put a face with so much of the reading we've done. (From his bio on the University website: http://www.english.uva.nl/news/professorappointments.cfm/E365A294-1321-B0BE-68104F37D3B27D38) Dr Korf is Professor by Special Appointment in Criminology, and in particular criminal policy research, in the Faculty of Law of the University of Amsterdam (UvA). His research is focused on the investigation of developments and patterns in recreational drug use and drug trafficking in the context of drug policy and from an international perspective. He is particularly fascinated by cultural aspects of modern-day society, such as the ways in which changing ethnic make-up of populations and the resulting shift in perspectives on substance use influence trends in recreational drug use. Besides his academic appointments, he was head of the Deviance and Social Control section in the Municipality of Amsterdam's Department for Research and Statistics, Director of the Amsterdam Ecumenical Centre (Amsterdams Oecumenisch Centrum), and a drug addiction fieldworker for the Rainbow Foundation in Amsterdam. In addition, Korf holds appointments as Chairman of the European Society for Social Drug Research, and Vice Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Dutch National Drugs Monitor.