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    Grievable lives? Death by opioid overdose in Australian newspaper coverage

    267417.pdf (152.6Kb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Fraser, Suzanne
    Farrugia, Adrian
    Dwyer, Robyn
    Date
    2018
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Fraser, S. and Farrugia, A. and Dwyer, R. 2018. Grievable lives? Death by opioid overdose in Australian newspaper coverage. International Journal of Drug Policy. 59: pp. 28-35.
    Source Title
    International Journal of Drug Policy
    DOI
    10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.06.004
    ISSN
    0955-3959
    School
    National Drug Research Institute (NDRI)
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69927
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Opioid overdose deaths are increasing in Australia and around the world. Despite this, measures aimed at reducing these deaths such as safe injecting facilities and take-home naloxone continue to face obstacles to uptake. The reasons for this are manifold, but a key contributor is public discourse on opioid consumption and overdose. In this article we explore this public discourse using Judith Butler's work on ‘grievable lives’. The article analyses mainstream newspaper coverage of opioid overdose in Australia to map key articulations of overdose and to consider how public understandings of overdose are shaped. It then goes on to consider ways these understandings might be reshaped, looking at what have been called overdose ‘anti-memorials’ and a new website Livesofsubstance.org. In concluding we argue that until the lives of opioid consumers come to be considered grievable, the measures known to reduce overdose deaths may struggle to find public support.

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