[The alcoholization process in Latin America. Critical analysis of biomedical and sociological production, 1970-1980 (2)].
This work analyses the bibliographical production in the sociological and biomedical fields on alcoholization generated within and for Latin America during the seventies. This production is characterized by a unilaterally "pathologizing" outlook, which contrasts with the outlook dominant in the socio-anthropological fields, and which was analysed in a previous work. Empirical and factorial outlook dominate, in both, theory and methodology. They stress again an approach whose serious limitations have already been shown. The dominant technical elements--the sociological and epidemiological inquest--keep on being utilized, in spite of the many criticisms which they have received. Data obtained not only bears little relevance on the problem, but also stresses facts at a level of depth which is not justified, and do not justify, the theoretical framework of analysis. In spite of the fact that unsystematized empirical data and specific research which has been undertaken in other regional areas have made reference to a continual deficit on the part of the health team for the diagnosis and treatment of the alcoholization process; we hardly have any research which can throw light on the scientific and ideological limitations of medical and paramedical actions. Besides, we do not have a systematic analysis of alternative therapeutic strategics. All bibliographical publications refers, in a very biased way, the process of alcoholization to the lower population strata, without any critical reflection on that association. The biomedical dimension, although it utilizes conceptions and viewpoints which have been taken from anthropological and sociological production, this appropiation has meant a modification, which, in fact, has caused a split between the two dominant productions in Latin America: the biomedical and the anthropological one. This split replicates the conflict between models, that operates within other national and international contexts.
D000437:Alcoholism; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D008954:Models, Biological; D012106:Research; D012961:Sociology
El proceso de alcoholización en América Latina. Análisis crítico de la producción biomédica y sociológica, 1970-1980 (2).