Originally published in 1980, the purpose of this book was to aid a process of rethinking alcoholism treatment. Such a process was already underway in many parts of the world at the time. It was hoped that this volume would be useful in the modest role of abetting such a rethinking. Alcoholism treatment was definitely in transition, abandoning old certainties, searching for new syntheses and that is the position this book takes looking for an alternative understanding. The book is divided into six parts: Transition as Challenge; Does Treatment Work?; Towards Better Questions and Better Methodologies; Treatment System as Case For Study; Models in Transition; and Alcohol Agendas. The book also contains one chapter that discusses alcoholism treatment in a developing country, not often addressed at the time but acknowledgement that the problem is a global one.
