Miriam W. Boeri, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Kennesaw State University. Her research focuses on ethnographic data collection and analysis of subcultures considered deviant, including drug subcultures and hidden social movements. She holds membership in numerous academic associations, including the Society for Applied Anthropology, the American Sociological Association, and the Harm Reduction International. She has received a number of National Institutes on Health (NIH), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) grants as a PI to study drugs users in their own environments and from their perspectives. She bases her exploration on the theory that an emic understanding of drug use is needed if we want to effectively address the problems caused by drug use. She serves on the Board of the Atlanta Harm Reduction Coalition. In addition, she developed the Social Recovery Initiative at the Dekalb County Drug Court, an innovative program designed to expand the social opportunities for drug court clients. Her recent publications focus on methamphetamine use in the suburbs, women and health, and older adult drug users.
Articles
Drug Use Trajectory Patterns among Older Drug Users (with Thor Whalen, Benjamin Tyndall, and Ellen Ballard), Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation (2011)
To better understand patterns of drug use trajectories over time, it is essential to have...
Addiction Discourse and Sociality: Perspectives from Methamphetamine Users in Suburban USA (with Paul Boshears and Liam Harbry), Addiction Research & Theory (2011)
This article contributes to a growing body of literature that emphasizes the social nature of...
Social Recovery, Social Capital, and Drug Courts (with Aukje K. Lamonica and Liam Harbry), Practicing Anthropology (2011)
The Social Recovery Initiative (SRI) is an innovative initiative based on social capital theoretical concepts....
Creativity and Cults from Sociological and Communication Perspectives: The Processes Involved in the Birth of a Secret Creative Self (with Karen Pressley), Cultic Studies Review (2010)
We employ three interrelated concepts drawn from sociology and communication theories to explore the processes...
Cold Cook Methods: An Ethnographic Exploration on the Myths of Methamphetamine Production and Policy Implications (with David Gibson and Laim Harbry), International Journal of Drug Policy (2009)
Background
Urban legends and myths are prevalent in drug-use environments. However, the distinction between myth...
Books
An Ethnographic Study of Women Who Use Methamphetamine, Rutgers University Press (under contract) (2010)
Heaven's Harlots: My Fifteen Years As a Sacred Prostitute in the Children of God Cult (1998)
For over 15 years, the elusive Children of God cult leader, Moses David, commanded a...
Contributions to Books
Deviance and Social Control, Teaching and Learning About Deviance: A Resource Guide (2008)
Research Methods Addendum, Peoplization: An Introduction to Social Life (2008)
The Children of God/The Family, Sex and Religion (2004)
External Grants
Methamphetamine Use in the Suburbs: An Exploratory Study (2010)
2010-2011
Award Number: 1R15DA021164-01A1
Principal Investigator: Boeri
Award: $201,000
National Institutes of Health, National Institute...
Older Drug Users: A Life Course Study of Turning Points in Drug Use and Injection (2009)
2009-2011
Award Number: 1R21DA025298-01A1
Principal Investigator: Boeri
Award: $367,820
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
National...
Methamphetamine Use in the Suburbs: An Exploratory Study (2007)
2007-2009
Award Number: 1R15DA021164-01A1
Principal Investigator: Boeri
Award: $180,900
National Institutes of Health, National Institute...
Unpublished Papers
Bonding and Bridging Relationships: A Case Study of Older Female Drug Users (with Aukje Kluge, Claire Sterk, and Kirk Elifson), Qualitative Health Research (2010)
Presentations
Life History Data Collection from Birth: Technological Advances Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Methods. Roundtable (with Ben Tyndall), American Sociological Association (2010)
Risk Reduction and the Atlanta Harm Reduction Center. Presider/Spotlight Panel, American Sociological Association (2010)
The Atlanta Harm Reduction Center, Inc. is a community-based prevention and wellness organization committed to...
'Stuck in the Bluff:' Obscured Turning Points in Drug User Life Histories. Paper/Presentation (with David Gibson, Craig Rafuse, and Ben Tyndall), Society for the Study of Social Problems (2010)
Social Recovery: An Exploration of Recovery Routes Among Former Methamphetamine Users. Paper/Presentation (with David Gibson), American Sociological Association (2010)
Hegemonic Communication Model: The Power Dynamics in the Emergence of a Secret Creative Self. Paper/Presentation (with Karen Pressley), International Cultic Studies Association (2010)
In this paper, the authors explore the process of personal renaissance through the emergence of...
No subject area
Addiction and Sociality: Perspectives from Methamphetamine Users in Suburban USA (with Paul Boshears and Liam Harbry), Faculty Publications (2011)
This article contributes to a growing body of literature that emphasizes the social nature of...
Suburban Poverty: Barriers to Services and Injury Prevention among Marginalized Women who Use Methamphetamine (with Benjamin Tyndall and Denise R. Woodall), Faculty Publications (2011)
Objective: This paper aims to identify the needed healthcare and social services barriers for women...