Introduction to the Special Issue: Women and Alcohol: Multi-disciplinary Perspectives

Abstract

Alcoholism is a problem with far-reaching personal, social, and public welfare implications. It is a phenomenon that is inherently interdisciplinary, affecting human life at biological, psychological, spiritual, social, cultural, economic, and political levels.Historically, the study of women in society has called for and benefited from interdisciplinary approaches and has also often emphasized ties between theory and practice. Therefore, a special issue devoted to women seemed an especially appropriate place to extend the conversation across disciplinary lines.Reading across disciplines can deepen knowledge and facilitate understanding in ways that can help solve problems. As scholars, we know that our colleagues downstairs or across campus are solving problems important to our work. Yet challenges such as time, familiarity, and access, and the need to decipher disciplinary-specific language can all make it difficult to learn from other approaches.With the help of a highly accomplished group of contributors, we present a collection of articles on the scientific study of women and alcoholism from the following disciplinary perspectives: history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, social work, criminal justice, nursing, and pharmacology.