The place of drink: Geographical contributions to alcohol studies

Abstract

This paper considers how geographies of alcohol, drinking and drunkenness have been considered within and beyond the discipline of geography. We argue that while there has been a large amount of relevant, detailed and rich research considering 'geographical' issues, alcohol studies has tended to under-theorize the role of space and place. While geographers, on the other hand, have been relatively slow to engage with the alcohol, drinking and drunkenness, we show that geography have much to offer future research agendas. Despite recent progress, however, a failing of geographers' engagement with alcohol, drinking and drunkenness has been an inability to transcend disciplinary boundaries. We conclude by arguing that geographical research into alcohol, drinking and drunkenness must continue to pursue theoretical and empirical advances, but also offer policy-relevant 'public geographies' that speak to non-academic audiences.

Key Themes and Research Agendas in the Sport-Alcohol Nexus

“…Geographies of drinking and drunkenness receive attention from human and cultural geographers (Jayne, Holloway, & Valentine, 2006;Jayne, Valentine, & Holloway, 2008a, 2008b. Anthropologists have described the social nature of drinking (Armstrong & Hognestad, 2006;Douglas, 1987;Gefou-Madianou, 1992;Gusfield, 1987;de Garine & de Garine, 2002;Wilson, 2005).…”

Drinking in the dark: shedding light on young people’s alcohol consumption experiences

“…When drinking spaces are considered in the alcohol studies literature, they have tended to be treated as passive backdrops (Jayne, Valentine, & Holloway, 2008a, 2008b, rather than active agents with the capacity to shape alcohol consumption practices and experiences. In this paper, I engage with atmospheres to enable an exploration of the role of drinking spaces as active constituents with the ability to shape drinking occasions (Jayne, Gibson, Waitt, & Valentine, 2012).…”

“…Engaging with atmospheres of darkness and lightness enables me to go some way towards addressing Jayne et al 's (2008aJayne et al 's ( , 2008b contention that drinking spaces are too often rendered passive backdrops, with a failure to consider their role in shaping drinking practices and experiences. More than this though, an atmospheres approach is able to account for the fact that young people co-construct drinking spaces, thereby potentially shaping the drinking practices of themselves and others.…”

A young person's game: Immersion and distancing in bar work

“…Female participants were expected to accept sexual harassment in the work environment, despite its stressful and distressing implications (Karatepe, Yorganci, & Haktanir, 2009). Individual strategies would be best incorporated in a participative approach appropriate to a setting characterised by social identification and group cohesion (Campbell & Murray, 2004;Jayne, Valentine, & Holloway, 2008).…”