Haitao Shi

Working Title of PhD: Drug Policing in China

Year commenced PhD study: 2016

Institution/Organisation:  University of Edinburgh                                      

Full or part-time: Full

 PhD Supervisors: Dr. Angus Bancroft & Dr. Hugo Gorringe

Synopsis of PhD:

Based on the data gathered from observing participants for 6 months and semi-structured interviews, my qualitative study looks at the drug policing in China under the legal reform and police professionalisation in three dimensions. First, it examines and evaluates the impacts of police professionalisation in drug policing, and how this process is challenged by pedagogical and administrative factors, police culture and guanxi (networks). Second, it argues that police professionalisation may become ‘McDonaldisation’ that leads to ‘irrationality’ (Heslop, 2011, p.312) when quotas are involved. Finally, as ‘power is a significant factor in the ability of an occupation to move toward the professional end of the continuum’ (Ritzer, 1975, p. 631), my thesis illustrates the redistribution of anti-drug police culture on the path towards police professionalism through the lens of power dynamics.

Recent publications

Community-Based drug rehabilitation under the ‘People’s War on Drugs’ in China (Fifth International Law Enforcement and Public Health Conference, Dec 2019)

The Numbers Game: Quota-Driven Drug Policing in China (European Society of Criminology Annual Conference 2019)

The generational cultural conflicts and integration of police culture under the professionalisation of anti-drug policing in China (European Society of Criminology Annual Conference 2021)

 List 3 Keywords (for web searches, e.g. organised crime, violence etc):

Police professionalisation, guanxi, police culture