Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

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SOCI0319A-S24

Idea of Drugs and Addiction

The Idea of Drugs and Addiction
Drugs cause panic and social hysteria. We spend time talking about them and expend energy distinguishing between good and bad drugs and users. Movies, documentaries, literature, art, and television shows reflect this preoccupation with the use and misuse of drugs. In this course we will investigate the social significance of “drugs” as a cultural, rather than pharmacological, category. We will consider drugs and addiction as ideas that reflect concerns about the “self” in modernity. We will examine the panic surrounding drug use and addiction, our preoccupation with treatment, and our emphasis on sobriety. Overall, we will engage with the larger themes the idea of drugs and addiction raises: harm, exclusion, inequality, pleasure, freedom, desire, perfection, enlightenment, and control. 3hrs. lect./disc. (SOAN 0105 or SOCO 0105 or SOAN 0288 or SOCI 0288)
Course Reference Number (CRN):
22492
Subject Code:
SOCI
Course Number:
0319
Section Identifier:
A

Course

SOCI 0319

All Sections in Spring 2024

Spring 2024

SOCI0319A-S24 Lecture (Tiger)