ANT 264 Anthropology and Alcohol Use

3 hours

Study of the role of alcohol and use of alcoholic beverages in different cultures, with special attention to non-urban, non-industrial cultures outside the mainstream of Western civilization.  The course examines how cultural beliefs and values define the meaning of alcohol and influence drinking behavior; e.g., in religious and secular contexts; the culturally regulated use of alcohol to produce non-ordinary states of consciousness; and the use of alcohol to cope with culturally induced stresses, especially stresses associated with culture change and disorganization.