The SAGE Handbook of Drug and Alcohol Studies

Abstract

The growing importance of drug and alcohol research for policy and intervention Our general aim in producing this Handbook has been to map drug and alcohol research disciplines and to illustrate the contribution of different disciplines to the study of substance use. To our knowledge no such map currently exists. This map includes historical perspectives, and contemporary theoretical paradigms, it provides a state-of-the-art current debates and controversies, as well as sketching out emerging themes and new developments in the field. In the last two to three decades, the interest in drug and alcohol issues has increased markedly in many societies. This is due both to an increase in worldwide use of substances and an increased political focus on both illegal and legal drug use. This societal interest is also reflected in academia, in social and health policy developments at national and international levels, and in the growth and diversification of professional services. Research on prevention, treatment, harm reduction, policy and recreational consumption has been conducted from a range of different disciplinary perspectives, e.g. sociology, political science, history, biology, psychology, psychiatry, pharmacology, cultural studies, gender studies, geography, anthropology and economics. Consequently, the field by its very nature is inter-disciplinary and this characteristic is reflected in the Handbook. As a result, the Handbook is divided in two volumes reflecting both a social science and a biological approach. While for many researchers, students and professionals both areas are important, the division into two sections allows a more meaningful way of compiling the contents in order to address the core interests of different groups of readers. During the last 15 years or so, drug and alcohol studies has become a more established academic field of research involving researchers from different countries across the globe. Currently, drug and alcohol research centres and specialist units exist in a wide range of countries, either as departments in universities or as independent (public or private) research institutions. As a consequence, programmes and courses in drug and alcohol studies are offered at a number of academic levels, including foundation programmes, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as specific training for professionals in the field and also bespoke courses for students from a range of other academic disciplines. The exponential growth in specialist alcohol and drug peer reviewed journals is a further testament to the growing importance of this area of research. In addition, drug and alcohol research is also being funded by both national and international funding agencies including for example, the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Economic and Social research Council (ESRC) in the UK, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) in the US, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Australian Research Council (ARC) in Australia, and the European Union. Consequently, the title 'Handbook of drug and alcohol studies' has been deliberately chosen as a way of reflecting this growing importance.