Drinking: Behavior and Belief in Modern History explores the complex and multifaceted role of alcohol in shaping cultures, societies, and behaviors throughout modern history. The book brings together diverse essays from historians and sociologists, examining how alcohol consumption has influenced daily life, social movements, and political ideologies. By exploring the material and symbolic significance of alcohol, the volume sheds light on its place in social history, drawing connections between drinking practices and broader societal changes. The book also delves into the responses to alcohol-related problems, from the temperance movements of the 19th century to modern-day medicalization and state interventions, showing how alcohol has been both a source of cultural identity and a focal point for social control.

Through interdisciplinary perspectives, the collection offers valuable insights into how alcohol consumption reflects and shapes power dynamics, class structures, and cultural norms. By analyzing drinking subcultures, the book uncovers the different ways alcohol has been consumed and understood across time and places, from working-class taverns to elite private rituals. The authors also explore how alcohol-related policies and societal reactions have evolved, offering a deep and thoughtful look into the complex relationship between alcohol and society. Drinking: Behavior and Belief in Modern History is an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the social, cultural, and political dimensions of alcohol throughout modern history.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1991.

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