IDS 357 - Race, Drugs and Prohibition in the U.S.: What Makes Drug Use Criminal?

Description:
Marijuana, cocaine, coffee and sugar. Why are some drugs “good” and some “bad?” Explore the “Drug War,” motivations for regulation, current dilemmas and social justice implications in the United States, from an interdisciplinary approach. Course will be offered every year (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer).

Credits: (5)

General Education Category: K6 - Individual & Society

General Education Pathways: P1 Civic & Community Engagement, P3 Perspectives on Current Issues, P4 Social Justice

Learner Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Identify the basic principles and ideologies that underlie drug regulation in the U.S., as well as the institutions that support and promote regulation.
Distinguish between social, political, economic, health and moral motivations for drug regulation.
Identify and distinguish common assumptions about drug use/abuse and explain how they inform social attitudes about drugs and the people who use them.
Evaluate the pros and cons of a specific ideology that informs U.S. drug policy, and assess whether this ideological approach guides regulations towards productive or counterproductive outcomes.
Analyze how social attitudes help shape drug regulation and how existing social inequalities inform enforcement.
Articulate ways that race, class, and gender might influence individual attitudes about drug use, abuse, and regulatory enforcement.

Learner Outcomes Approval Date:
12/21/17

Anticipated Course Offering Terms and Locations: