Undergraduate Module Descriptor

SOC3086: Addiction

This module descriptor refers to the 2023/4 academic year.

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

Models of addiction (neurobiological, psycho-social, social constructionist, ‘myth’)
Comparing cultures: Historical and anthropological perspectives on drug use
Addiction in the media
The social science of drug use I: Cannabis
The social science of drug use II: Opiates/heroin
Alcohol abuse
Smoking
Lifestyle addictions (e.g. sex, gambling, internet use, food, exercise)
Treatment and counselling
Addiction policy and public health (e.g. harm reduction, legalization)
Ethics and methods in addiction research

Example seminar debates

Definitions: Is sex addiction really an ‘addiction’?
Models: Is addiction a matter of ‘choice’ or ‘heredity’?
Media: Does the media have a moral responsibility in how it portrays drug use?
Treatment: Should addicts be given free needles or replacement substances (methadone)?
Policy: Would legalization of illegal drugs cut crime rates?

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
44	256	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled learning activity	44	22 x 2 hour weekly lectures/seminars (or 1 hour lecture + 1 hour seminar)
Guided independent study	80	40 course readings (2 hours each)
Guided independent study	80	Reading/research for essay
Guided independent study	16	Article critique prep
Guided independent study	80	Reading/revisions for exam

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

Journals: Addiction, Addictive Behaviors, Journal of Addiction Medicine (JAMA), Sociology