HIST 271 - Uses and Abuses: Drugs, Addiction and Recovery

Cross-Listed as AMST 271

After a brief but essential global history of drugs, this course will focus primarily on the 20th century to the present. We will examine histories of substance use and abuse, temperance and prohibition, the “War on Drugs,” the shifting concept of addiction as a moral failing to addiction as a treatable disease, as well as study the history of the recovery movement and harm reduction. This course is not intended to be an exhaustive, comprehensive history of the subject-but it will provide you with a solid base from which to explore other aspects of this fascinating and contentious aspect of human history. Meets the post-1800 requirement, and can count towards “Gender,” or “Race and Indigeneity,” or “Law and Social Justice,” or “North America” fields. Fall semester. (4 Credits)