Addiction
| Module title | Addiction |
|---|---|
| Module code | SOC3033 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Hannah Farrimond (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 40 |
|---|
Module description
No celebrity lifestyle is complete without checking in to a treatment centre for an addiction, whether to prescription drugs, alcohol, heroin, gambling or sex. But, what do we mean by ‘addiction’? Does it make sense to talk about an ‘internet addiction’ in the same way as a ‘heroin addiction’? And, how should we as a society respond to addicts? In this module, you will critically analyse the concepts, practices and policy surrounding addiction, dependence, drug use and treatment in contemporary society.
This module is suitable for anyone interested in the social science or medical aspects of addiction. Its interdisciplinary approach will appeal to students in sociology, psychology, anthropology, medicine/health sciences, law and other social science disciplines.
Module aims - intentions of the module
You will be introduced to the different theoretical models which inform cultural representations, treatment and policy decisions of drug use and addiction. You will be expected to think critically about these models, examining what it means to be addicted and designated an addict, both within Western society and cross-culturally. You will be encouraged to assess the relationship between drug use and health, criminality, deviance, social control and the media. You will also reflect on current treatment models of addiction (e.g. counselling, harm reduction, decriminalization) at both the individual and policy levels, as well as public prevention campaigns. As such, this module will develop your critical thinking in relation to contemporary addiction discourse and literature, as well as stimulate your own intellectual interest in this area.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate knowledge of, analyse and engage critically with, a range of models and beliefs about addiction;
- 2. relate these perspectives to empirical studies and public policy on addiction;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. demonstrate in writing and orally competence in using major theoretical perspectives and concepts in sociology and anthropology and their application to social life ;
- 4. demonstrate in writing and orally an ability to analyse empirical sociological/anthropological materials and critically engage with these involving complex reasoning;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. develop an ability to engage in complex arguments verbally and in small groups;
- 6. demonstrate in writing an ability to analyse, critically engage with, and report accurately on existing written material whilst articulating it within a structured and cogent argument.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following themes:
Outline of topics to be covered
- Introduction to addiction
- Biological and psychological models of addiction
- Social constructionist approaches and addiction as ‘myth’
- The social science of drug use I: Cannabis
- The social science of drug use II: Opiates/heroin
- Alcohol abuse
- Smoking
- Lifestyle addictions (e.g. sex, gambling, internet use, food, exercise)
- Treatment and counselling
- Addiction policy: Harm reduction
- Addiction policy: Legalization
Example seminar debates
- Definitions: Is sex addiction really an ‘addiction’?
- Models: Is addiction a matter of ‘choice’ or ‘heredity’?
- What are the problems of researching drug cultures?
- Treatment: Should addicts be given free needles or replacement substances (methadone)?
Policy: Would legalization of illegal drugs cut crime rates?
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning activity | 22 | 2 hour weekly lecture / seminar (or 1 hour lecture + 1 hour seminar) |
| Guided independent study | 40 | 20 course readings (2 hours each) |
| Guided independent study | 40 | Reading/research for essay |
| Guided independent study | 8 | Critique preparation |
| Guided independent study | 40 | Reading/revisions for examination |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group and individual class exercise, critical assessment of paper | 500 words | 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 | Written feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 50 | 1 hour | 1-4, 6 | Written feedback |
| Essay | 50 | 1,800 words | 1-4, 6 | Written feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination (1 hour) | Examination (1 hour) | 1-4, 6 | August/September reassessment period |
| Essay (1,800 words) | Essay (1,800 words) | 1-4, 6 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Bancroft, A. (2009) Drugs, Intoxication and Society, Malden MA, Cambridge: Policy Press.
Faupel, Charles E., Horowitz, Alan M., and Greg S. Weaver. (2004) The Sociology of American Drug Use. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Goldberg, R. ed. (2011) Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Drugs and Society (2011) New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. 11th edition.
Hammersley, R. and Reid, M. (2002) Why the pervasive addiction myth is still believed, Addiction Research and Theory, 10 (1): 7-30.
Hammersely, R. Drugs and Crime, Theories and Practices (Crime and Society series). (2008) Malden MA, Cambridge: Polity Press.
Hussein Rassool, G.(2011) Understanding Addiction Behaviours: Theoretical and Clinical Practice in Health and Social Care, Palgrave Macmillan.
Klein, R (1993) Cigarettes are Sublime. Duke University Press.
McKeganey, N. (2011) Controversies in Drug Policy and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan.
West, R. (2006) Theory of Addiction, Addiction Press/Blackwell Publishing.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Journals: Addiction, Addictive Behaviours, Journal of Addiction Medicine (JAMA), Sociology
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | none |
| Module co-requisites | none |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/01/2014 |
| Last revision date | 27/02/2024 |
