Drugs, Violence and Latin America: Global Psychotropy and Culture

This book explores the psychotropic analysis of texts that deal with drug trafficking and interdiction in Mexico, highlighting how they reflect and intervene in global networks of intoxication. It proposes a "dialectics of intoxication" that influences human behavior and is leveraged for social control in both licit and illicit economies. A countercultural genealogy in Latin America provides a contrastive context for contemporary novels that expose links between narcoviolence and consumerism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 249 pages
Publication date: 28 November 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This book delves into a profound psychological exploration of texts that delve into the dark world of drug trafficking and interdiction, particularly in Mexico. While many critics have either disregarded these works as mere exploitative entertainment or relegated them to the realm of aesthetic sobriety, Drugs, Violence, and Latin America sheds light on the ways in which these narratives can reflect and intervene in the intricate global networks of intoxication. By theorizing a "dialectics of intoxication," the book illustrates how psychotropy can both solidify and destabilize the self and its relationships with others, exerting distinct influences on human behavior within both licit and illicit economies. Furthermore, a consideration of a countercultural genealogy in Latin America provides a contrasting psychotropic context for contemporary novels that uncovers the profound connections between narcoviolence and consumerism, challenging our deeply ingrained addictions of thought and feeling about ourselves and our relationships to drugs and narco-violence.

Introduction:
Drug trafficking and interdiction have been major issues in Mexico and throughout Latin America for decades. While these topics have often been approached from a political or legal perspective, there has been a growing interest in understanding the psychosocial dimensions of these phenomena. This book aims to contribute to this understanding by undertaking a psychotropic analysis of texts that deal with the violence of drug trafficking and interdiction, especially in Mexico.

Critics of Narcoculture:
Most critics of so-called narcoculture have either focused on an aesthetic "sobriety" in these works or discounted them altogether as exploitative and unworthy of serious attention. These critics argue that these narratives perpetuate harmful stereotypes and reinforce the notion that drug use is a problem limited to certain communities or regions. However, Drugs, Violence, and Latin America challenges these assumptions by illuminating how such work may reflect and intervene in global networks of intoxication.

The Dialectics of Intoxication:
The book proposes a "dialectics of intoxication" that illustrates how psychotropy may either solidify or destabilize the self and its relationship to the other. It suggests that these tendencies influence human behavior in distinct ways and are leveraged for social control within both licit and illicit economies. By exploring the complexities of psychotropic experiences, the book offers a deeper understanding of the ways in which drugs and violence shape individuals and communities.

Countercultural Genealogy in Latin America:
A consideration of a countercultural genealogy in Latin America provides a contrastive psychotropic context for contemporary novels that expose links between narcoviolence and consumerism. These novels challenge our addictions of thought and feeling about ourselves and our relationships to drugs and narco-violence by exploring the complex web of cultural, social, and economic factors that contribute to these phenomena.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, Drugs, Violence, and Latin America offers a valuable contribution to the field of literary studies by exploring the psychosocial dimensions of drug trafficking and interdiction. By theorizing a "dialectics of intoxication" and considering a countercultural genealogy, the book provides a nuanced understanding of the ways in which these phenomena reflect and intervene in global networks of intoxication. It challenges our assumptions about drug use and violence and encourages us to consider the broader social and cultural contexts in which these issues arise.

Weight: 346g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030689261
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021