What is addiction? We could describe it as a regular, compulsive, and uncontrollable pattern of behaviour – but this simple definition leaves many questions unanswered. How do neurochemical and cultural dimensions interact in generating what we call addiction? Consumption of psychoactive substances is well-documented across human societies for thousands of years, but addiction as a medical diagnosis is only about a hundred years old. When exactly to use the term addiction, when to speak of use and when of abuse, depends on context and various cultural factors. Hence, addiction is a category constructed on the basis of empirical observations in the sciences, but should not be reduced to an objective state.
In the project tutorial Addiction: An Interdisciplinary Approach, we adopt a critical and interdisciplinary lens to understand addiction. We analyze the history of the term and its application in medicine, law, politics, the economy and other areas of culture. Our focus is on media that depict addiction and subsequently shape societal attitudes towards addicts. We explicitly invite participants from all subject areas to create a space for perspectives from the humanities as well as the natural and social sciences. Our aim is to collectively create opportunities to apply the term addiction in productive, transdisciplinary, and destigmatized ways.
Reading materials and discussion will be in English.
- Kursverantwortliche/r: Konstantin Helm
- Kursverantwortliche/r: Zoe Steinbrenner
Semester: SoSe 2023