A Brief Feminist Review and Critique of the Sociology of Alcohol‐Use and Substance‐Abuse Treatment Approaches

Abstract

Guided by a sociology-of-gender framework, we provide an overview and critique of recent academic debates on substance-use, particularly alcohol-use. We note that substance use research has been useful for illuminating areas central to sociological inquiry. In limited scope, we focus on the relationships between alcohol-use, gender, marginalization, violence, and sexualities. Alcohol-use, we argue, is highly meaningful yet a paradox in that alcohol-use both upholds and violates gender and sexuality norms. The active construction of gender is particularly visible when focusing on alcohol, gender and violence. We also claim that alcohol plays a role in the maintenance of a gendered society. We conclude by offering suggestions for future sociologically informed research and treatment approaches.

The role of alcohol in identity construction among LGBT people: a qualitative study

“…However, our study illustrates that gay men are also subject to scrutiny and sanction for not drinking ‘appropriately’. As Peralta and Jauk (: 882) argue ‘asking questions about who uses alcohol, when, how much, and why reveals processes of gender construction and marginalisation’.…”

“…‘butch’ and ‘femme’) as well as gay (e.g. ‘gay lad’, ‘twink’, ‘bear’) identities (Peralta and Jauk , Ravenhill and de Visser ) Future research should focus on how these diverse sub‐groups deploy alcohol in order to align themselves with different identities.…”

An Existential Perspective on Addiction Treatment: A Logic-Based Therapy Case Study

“…The pitfall here is when social factors, which of course contribute to patterns of drug use, are considered determinate. 16 Social justice proponents often operate with over-simplified dichotomies of power and status, such as 'oppressor/privileged' and 'oppressed/non-privileged' (Peterson 2018), and present a socially deterministic framework where drug abuse has been identified as a symptom of various types of inequalities (Peralta and Jauk, 2011). It introduces a new moralism by suggesting that problematic drug use might be a 'rational' response to (in some cases generalized) social victimhood.…”

A critical ethnography of the Ottawa Drug Treatment Court : linking discourses of addiction, addicted subjects & treatment practices

“…Gender issues permeate drug use and treatment. However, it has been documented that men have traditionally been the focus of research into drug use and treatment (Litzke 2004;Measham 2002;Peralta & Jauk 2011), and unfortunately, gender continues to be overlooked in much of the DTC literature. Some research on gender and DTCs does exist (e.g.…”

“…Alcohol and drug treatment programs were historically designed by men, for men, the result being that women, youth and racial and ethnic minorities have been overlooked (Ettore 2004;Litzke 2004;Lutze & van Wormer 2007;Measham 2002;Peralta & Jauk 2011). Because treatment has traditionally been male-centered, there have been calls for women-centered treatment and gender specific research on drug use (Carter 2002;Grella 2008;Greaves & Poole 2008;Poole & Dell 2005).…”