This volume critically interrogates the dominant understanding of 'addiction' and 'addicts'. It examines the proliferation of the addiction concept by psychiatry and other psy-professions, exploring the processes and underlying drivers of this form of medicalisation. Through discussions from leading scholars in the field on gambling, smoking, and drug use, as well as the passionate engagement with social media, sport, sex, pornography, opioids, and psychedelics, the collection argues that addiction is better understood as a sociological rather than psychiatric phenomenon. It contends that the discourse of addiction is fundamentally political in nature, rather than purely medical. In doing so, this timely collection fills a significant gap in academic knowledge. It will be of strong interest to scholars and students of mental health and addiction, as well as to critical practitioners working in these areas.
"We desperately need a more intelligent, thoughtful and sociologically literate conversation about addiction, and this important book is a significant part of that."
-Johann Hari, author of Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs
"I absolutely loved this book! Hugely impressive project; it's going to be a fantastic contribution to the field."
-Gerda Reith, Professor of Social Science, University of Glasgow, UK
"This timely book brings together a thought-provoking collection of theoretical and empirical analyses, demonstrating the unique value of sociological approaches to addiction in its contemporary and multiplying forms."
-Helen Keane, Professor of Sociology, Australian National University, Australia
"'The critical perspectives articulated in this book demand an answer to the question "does addiction science cause unintended harm by reinforcing historic power inequalities?'. The book will help addiction researchers across all disciplines to navigate the uncertainties raised by these questions."
-Lee Hogarth, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Exeter, UK
This volume critically interrogates the dominant understanding of 'addiction' and 'addicts'. It examines the proliferation of the addiction concept by psychiatry and other psy-professions, exploring the processes and underlying drivers of this form of medicalisation. Through discussions from leading scholars in the field on gambling, smoking, and drug use, as well as the passionate engagement with social media, sport, sex, pornography, opioids, and psychedelics, the collection argues that addiction is better understood as a sociological rather than psychiatric phenomenon. It contends that the discourse of addiction is fundamentally political in nature, rather than purely medical. In doing so, this timely collection fills a significant gap in academic knowledge. It will be of strong interest to scholars and students of mental health and addiction, as well as to critical practitioners working in these areas.
Bruce M. Z. Cohen is an Associate Professor in sociology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Martin Harbusch is Professor for research methods at the University of Siegen, Germany.
Jo Reichertz is Emeritus Professor of sociology and communication science at the University Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
