Items related to The Street Addict Role: A Theory of Heroin Addiction...

The Street Addict Role: A Theory of Heroin Addiction (SUNY series, The New Inequalities) - Softcover

Stephens, Richard C.

 
9780791406205: The Street Addict Role: A Theory of Heroin Addiction (SUNY series, The New Inequalities)

Synopsis

This book provides a new answer to the question, "Why do people use heroin and other street drugs?" Drawing upon a growing body of studies of drug users conducted by sociologists and anthropologists, it attempts to integrate their findings into a theoretically unified sociocultural explanation of heroin use. The theory, which draws heavily upon the insights of symbolic interactionist and role theory, posits that there is a street subculture of heroin users. The chief role in this subculture -- the street addict role -- becomes a blueprint for living for many heroin users. Addicts are heavily committed to this role and organize their behavior and self-identification around it. From this basic starting point, the theory explains how persons become and remain addicts and how they may eventually give up addictive behavior.

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About the Author

Richard C. Stephens is Professor of Sociology, Cleveland State University.

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