From public problems to social experiences

In 2020, the South African government adopted a controversial measure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a nationwide ban on the sale and transport of alcoholic drinks. In this article, we explore the process that led to the construction of alcohol consumption as a "public problem" in the country, highlighting connections between alcohol drinking, politics, the economy, public health, public safety, and social inequality. We observe how the 2020 alcohol ban was decided upon, justified and enforced, following a long history of government attempts to control alcohol consumption among poor non-White South Africans. Based on ethnographic data, we present some patterns and meanings of alcohol consumption in popular settings and provide a glimpse into the drinking practices of more affluent South Africans during the alcohol ban. In doing so, we intend to offer a broader portrait of the phenomenon, one that helps grasp this intricate issue

Alcohol · Alcohol consumption · Consumption (sociology · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Development economics · Disease · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Government (linguistics · Inequality · Infectious disease (medical specialty · Pandemic · Political science · Politics · Public health · Public policy · Social science · Sociology · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · Homelessness and Social Issues · Law · Medicine · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

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