With contributions from leading international academics across the social sciences, this accessible handbook takes a critical look at the key theories, disciplinary approaches, contemporary issues and debates in the field.

Section One: Central Social Science Theories in Drug and Alcohol StudiesChapter 01: Central social science theories in drug and alcohol studies introduction - EditorsChapter 02: Historical Perspectives - Mark HailwoodChapter 03: Sociological Perspectives - Franca Beccaria & Franco PrinaChapter 04: Psychological Explanations of Addiction - Robert Hill and Jennifer HarrisChapter 05: Anthropological study of drug use: Methodological and theoretical considerations - J. Bryan Page and Merrill SingerChapter 06: Criminological Perspectives - Karen Joe LaidlerChapter 07: Cultural Studies Approaches to Drugs and Alcohol - Kane Race and Rebecca BrownChapter 08: Geographical perspectives on drug and alcohol studies - Mark Jayne, Gill Valentine and Sarah L. HollowaySection Two: Pillars in Social Science Drug and Alcohol StudiesChapter 09: Drug policy - Alison Ritter, Caitlin Hughes and Phillip HullChapter 10: Alcohol policy in global context - James NichollsChapter 11: Drug policy in practice - Esben Houborg and Bagga BjergeChapter 12: National preventive approaches to tackle alcohol misuse - Elias Allara, Marica Ferri and Fabrizio FaggianoChapter 13: Community-focused approaches to the prevention of alcohol-related harms: from past experiences to future possibilities - Richard Midford and Anthony Shakeshaft Chapter 14: Bridging Harm Reduction and Recovery - Heino Stöver Chapter 15: The Treatment Response: Systemic Features, Paradigms and Socio-Cultural Frameworks - Harald Klingemann & Jessica StorbjörkChapter 16: Matching patients to treatments or matching interventions to needs? - Morten Hesse, Birgitte Thylstrup and Anette Søgaard NielsenChapter 17: Workforce Development and professionalization - Anna NelsonChapter 18: Reflecting Intoxication - Geoffrey Hunt and Vibeke Asmussen FrankChapter 19: Identity, Friendship and Sociality - Thomas Thurnell-ReadChapter 20: Consumption and context - Mark Jayne, Gill Valentine, and Sarah L. Holloway Section Three: Controversies and New Approaches in Social Science Drug and Alcohol StudiesChapter 21: Addiction: Critical Reflections on a Debated Concept - Helen KeaneChapter 22: Learning to live with 'Big Fat Words'? An exploration of the dominant concepts applied to problem drug and alcohol use - Shane Butler and Paula MayockChapter 23: The Increasing Visibility of Gender in the Alcohol and Drug Fields - Geoffrey Hunt, Tamar Antin, Jeanett Bjønness and Elizabeth EttorreChapter 24: Ethnicity and drug policy in the US - Bill SandersChapter 25: Social class and deprivation - Angus BancroftChapter 26: Maturing on a high: an analysis of trends, prevalence and patterns of recreational drug use in middle and older adulthood - Lisa Williams and Rebecca AskewChapter 27: Sex work, illicit drug use and the risk environment - Lisa Maher Chapter 28: Homelessness and Substance Use - Betsy Thom and Carmen AceijasChapter 29: The prison population and illegal drug use - Karen Duke and Torsten KolindChapter 30: User perspectives - Bagga Bjerge, Caral Brown and Glenda DanielsChapter 31: The Relevance of Western Research to Developing Countries: Narrowing the North-South Divide in Drug Policy and Practice - Isidore Silas ObotChapter 32: The relevance of 'Western' alcohol research and policy to developing countries - Clare HerrickChapter 33: What's So 'New' About New Psychoactive Substances? Definitions, prevalence, motivations, user groups and a proposed new taxonomy - Fiona Measham and Russell NewcombeChapter 34: The decriminalization of drugs - Henry H. BrownsteinChapter 35: The limits of evidence-based practice in the pursuit of specific treatment efficacy - Anders Bergmark and Lena HübnerChapter 36: Public health approaches to substance use - a critique - Susanne MacGregorChapter 37: Illegal Street Economies and Drugs: Getting involved, skilled, and trying to quit - Philip LalanderChapter 38: Legal economies: The role of the alcohol industry - Jacek Moskalewicz and Lukasz WieczorekChapter 39: Natures, Cultures and Bodies of Cannabis - Cameron Duff