Women and Alcohol: Social Perspectives

Issues relating to alcohol 'misuse' can only properly be understood within their social and environmental contexts. This research and practice based book explores social models of alcohol misuse to offer a sociological approach to its treatment.

Through considering the social meaning of women's alcohol use, the book challenges current policy and practice in the field. It raises concerns about the political role of 'treatment' in making women behave, or to be 'well', and aims to develop a new approach to women's drinking and new ways of aiding recovery, at national and local levels.

With contributions from service users, academics and practitioners, this is essential reading for those studying addiction, gender and the social background to alcohol problems.

Dr. Patsy Staddon recovered from over 20 years of alcohol dependency 26 years ago and returned to university to study women’s alcohol use from a sociological perspective. She has written and published about the barriers to women’s recovery, such as shame and marginalisation. She is active in the mental health research field and founded the Alcohol Study Group of the British Sociological Association and the Women’s Independent Alcohol Support (WIAS) organisation.