ANTH 257 - Under the Influence: Drugs and Altered States in Society

3 Credit(s)

This course examines the relationship between mind-altering substances and society. Topics include analyzing the historical, political and recreational use of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, LSD, Methamphetamine and MDMA. Relevant anthropological frameworks will be employed to consider the traditional role of drugs in the customs and practices of non-Western peoples and how drug patterns have been influenced by processes such as globalization. This course also evaluates different drug policies and forms of enforcement, paying particular attention to the U.S. War on Drugs and its effects on the Western Hemisphere. Current literature and events will lead us to problematize the deadly heroin epidemic, controversial pharmaceutical products, doping in sports and other interesting topics related to the complex relationship between the human experience and drugs.
Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite.