Alcohol and intoxication

Abstract

In this chapter, we describe alcohol intoxication and how it has been understood by researchers, policymakers and the lay public. We focus on alcohol and intoxication in Western societies and consider recent political, economic, regulatory and social shifts that have had implications for alcohol consumption and drinking practices, particularly drinking to intoxication. We outline two dominant approaches that have been taken to the study of alcohol and implications for its regulation. Finally, we provide a brief overview of research that highlights how meanings and experiences of alcohol consumption and intoxication vary widely across different social groups and sectors of society, particularly by gender identities, and reinforce recent calls for more intersectional approaches in this field.