On 11 November 2020, Eric Dante Gutierrez successfully defended his PhD thesis on 'Criminals Without Borders: Resilience and Interdependency in Opium and Coca Commodity Chains'. The doctoral committee awarded his degree cum laude.
In his thesis, Eric Gutierrez historicizes the emergence of opium and coca enterprise as a product of commodification and social construction. He examines the two global mechanisms – the US and the UN systems – for tracking and monitoring the ubiquitous markets typically hidden in plain sight, and critically assesses official information and knowledge published since 1986.
Groundbreaking research
In awarding the degree and capa, the doctoral committee described the thesis as 'groundbreaking', adding that the findings 'will change the boundaries of knowledge and how we study these topics'.
The full thesis will be available for download from the ISS Library shortly, in the meantime you can download the thesis abstracts in English and Dutch.
Downloads
Photos and video of the defence
- PhD student