Sociology 2180 (click to access class web site)
Alcohol, Drugs, and Society (same as CCJ 2180)
Tuesday and Thursday 12:30-1:45 PM in 213 Clark.

Our focus in this class is the social reality of drug use and drug users within contemporary society. This focus includes a historical analysis of the social construction of drug use, drug users, abuse, and addiction. We will be investigating the complex relationships between individual and group behavior, and social structure. Central concepts such as social learning, labeling, power, and inequality; as well as socio-cultural definitions of drugs, behavior, and the people who use drugs will be the tools of our analysis.  Special attention will be given to the complex legal history surrounding drug use, the link between drugs and crime, the impact of the medicalization of human behavior, and varying perspectives on "doing something about drugs."

This is a Web-based class. Students in the Internet-only section (002) are not required to attend "live" sessions, but are welcome to come, anyway (in-person or via Collaborate). Students in these sections who cannot attend the live class sessions are expected to view the Collaborate recordings of Tuesday and Thursday classes. See Collaborate for information on "online attendance" and accessing recordings of class sessions.