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for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.
| Unit name |
Drugs and Society |
| Unit code |
SPOL30011 |
| Credit points |
20 |
| Level of study |
H/6
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
|
| Unit director |
Dr. Lart |
| Open unit status |
Open |
| Pre-requisites |
None
|
| Co-requisites |
None
|
| School/department |
School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Description including Unit Aims
This unit is about the role of illicit drugs/drug users and social policy. By the end of the unit you will be able to identify: the significance of those factors used to socially construct illicit drugs/drug users; theoretical approaches used to make sense of these socially constructed categories; the relationshhip between illicit drugs/drug users and social policy.
The unit aims to:
- provide students with a broad social, historical and theoretical framework for understanding drug use
- enable students to understand and critically assess the range of social responses to drug use
- show students the significance of drug use for contemporary social policy
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:
- describe and analyse how illicit drug use has been defined and responded to in British society and in selected other societies
- use a range of social theory to analyse policy responses to drug use
- describe and critically assess the range of research methods used in the drugs field
- critically assess arguments about the legalisation, decriminalisation and prohibition of drug use
Teaching Information
The unit is taught by a series of 12 lectures, followed each week by a class. The classes involve a mixture of student presentations of literature and exercises.
Assessment Information
Assessment will be against the programme criteria defined for the appropriate level.
Formative assessment: One 2000- 2500 word essay
Summative assessment : Level H - 3 hour unseen exam
Reading and References
- Coomber, R (ed) (1998) The control of drugs and drug users. Reason or Reaction? Harwood Academic Publishers.
- South, N (ed) (1999) Drugs. Cultures, Controls and Everyday Life. Sage.
- Blackman, S (2004) Chilling out: the cultural politics of substance consumption, youth and drug policy Open University Press
- International Journal of Drug Policy Special Issue: Social theory in drug research, drug policy and harm reduction Vol 15, December 2004
- Hughes, R., Lart, R. and Higate, P. (forthcoming 2005) Drugs: Policy and Politics Open University press
