Studying travelling policy ideas; How are the Norwegian governance traditions shaping the idea of the Portuguese de-criminalization model?

Abstract

In June 2010, the Stoltenberg committee’s Report on drugs was handed over to the Norwegian government. It argued for comprehensive changes in how to meet the drug addiction problems, and proposed actions directly based on the Portuguese drug strategy model. This paper examines the further political handling of two proposals for decriminalisation in The Stoltenberg report, focusing on the process of adaptation and implementation of the model into the Norwegian context. The analysis uses translation theory and the concepts of decontextualization and contextualization to understand and explore how this can be understood as a translational process between different welfare state traditions. In the field of European illicit drug policy making, it is of big interest to explore the impact and role of travelling ideas and knowledge on drug policy trends and practices, to better understand innovation and restructuring of governance in the area of drug addiction. What is “happening” with the idea in a translation process, and who, and where are the prominent actors? The analysis should contribute to our knowledge about the travel of ideas and treatment concepts at transnational level.