Vogel 302 Term Paper Proposal
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Pennsylvania State University *
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History
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Feb 20, 2024
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Uploaded by ChancellorSummer5132
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Zoe Vogel
Dr. Greenberg
History 302W
20 March 2023
Term Paper Proposal
Introduction
For my term paper, I plan to continue my research into the significance of Alcoholics Anonymous, as well as the evolution of general American attitudes regarding sobriety since AA’s founding. After writing my short research paper using the Big Book as my primary source, I wanted to shift my focus to also include a discussion about the impact that Alcoholics Anonymous has had on both the perception of alcoholism and recovery in America since its founding in 1935. In order to do this, I will extend my research to include various Alcoholics Anonymous advertisements, both video and print, as well as audio testimonials accessed on the Alcoholics Anonymous website. The overarching question that I aim to answer is how Alcoholics Anonymous has shifted the perception of alcoholism and sobriety in America as well as its role in changing the way in which addiction is treated. To answer this question, I will analyze how the era in which Alcoholics Anonymous was founded may have contributed to its widespread popularity and success, and determine whether more recent Alcoholics Anonymous resources and materials indicate a decrease in the stigmatization of alcoholism and recovery. Zoe, these seem like two different research topics. I recommend you focus on the second question: whether more recent AA resources and materials indicate a decrease in the
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stigmatization of alcoholism and recovery. You could compare how earlier and later AA resources differ in the way they represent alcoholism and recovery. Historical Background
Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith, with a primary aim of helping alcoholics achieve sobriety through a 12-step program formulated to outline a clear path to recovery by way of surrendering to a higher power, reflecting on past experiences, and making amends to those impacted by one’s addiction. Both founders believed that alcoholism was a disease that could not be cured, but could be managed through abstinence and mutual support. Existing organizations that offered support to those struggling with alcoholism prior to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, such as the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the Oxford Group, found little success in guiding Americans to recovery.
At the time of Alcoholic Anonymous’ inception, the general attitude towards alcohol and addiction in America was largely negative. Severe alcoholism was met with stigmatization, as the common belief was that alcoholism was indicative of a moral failing or lack of willpower, not a disease. Treatment for alcoholism in the early 20th century tended to be limited institutionalization in overcrowded mental hospitals or asylums, and those who underwent such treatment were often ostracized by their peers. Need a footnoate at the end of this paragraph. The early 20th century saw a great deal of change in terms of attitudes towards alcohol, reflected in social and religious movements as well as legislation. The Second Great Awakening
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of the early 19th century had popularized the idea of temperance, promoting the notion that abstinence was a way to improve society and honor God. Alcohol was blamed for a widespread host of social ills, such as poverty, crime, and domestic violence. Many Americans adhered to this belief, and by the mid-19th century, the temperance movement had become a powerful social and political force with groups such as the aforementioned Women’s Christian Temperance Union WCTU was a late 19
th
century organization- after the temperance movement campaigning for the elimination of alcohol consumption in America as a means to combat alcoholism
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. These efforts would ultimately culminate in the passing of the 18th amendment in 1919 that effectively prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol in America. However, prohibition failed to curb alcohol abuse, as millions of Americans continued to produce and consume alcohol. The failure of the 18th amendment led to a growing realization that alcoholism
required treatment, not punishment, thus paving the way for Alcoholics Anonymous to be founded two years after the repealing of prohibition. Although the 12-step program and Alcoholics Anonymous’ core traditions are largely rooted in religiosity and moral responsibility, they do not reflect the same fervor or rigidity of the temperance movement or the 18th amendment. That’s true. The founding of Alcoholics Anonymous marked a major turning point in the treatment of
and towards alcoholism in America. Addiction to alcohol had been heavily stigmatized, and options for those seeking recovery without the fear of being a social pariah were limited. There was a sense of shame attached to admitting one’s alcoholism was a problem in the early 19th century, even the early 20
th
century! and Alcoholics Anonymous’ promise of anonymity proved to be integral in its attraction of members during its early days. Additionally, Alcoholics 1
“Declaration of Principles,” WCTU, accessed March 20, 2023, https://www.wctu.org/declaration-of-
principles.
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Anonymous’ steadfast belief that all people, regardless of race, gender, or creed were deserving of recovery was revolutionary at the time of its inception and continues to be a core aspect of the organization. As stated in Alcoholic Anonymous’ third tradition, “the only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.”
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At the time of Alcoholic Anonymous’ establishment, class and racial divides were exacerbated by the Great Depression, making an organization that offered equal treatment to all seem radical. However, such values would prove to change the face
of addiction recovery in America, bringing people from various backgrounds together in order to
collectively address the shared affliction of alcoholism in a comprehensive way. Main Questions
When considering sobriety and recovery from alcoholism today, one immediately may think of Alcoholics Anonymous. AA has become synonymous with addiction treatment for millions of Americans. Because of this, the main question that my paper will seek to analyze and
answer is how Alcoholics Anonymous and its legacy have served to normalize the discussion and depiction of alcoholism and sobriety. Okay, this is a THIRD research question. The main way in which I intend to conduct my research into this topic is by reviewing media centered around abstinence and recovery through the 20th and early 21st centuries. What media exactly? Discourse surrounding alcohol and addiction prior to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous was largely limited to portraying those struggling with addiction as individuals who lacked the willpower to resist the evils of alcohol. Media depicting alcoholics, such as Nathaniel Currier’s The Drunkard’s Progress
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illustrated a one-size-fits-all life path for an alcoholic that ultimately 2
Bill Wilson, Alcoholics Anonymous
(A.A World Services, 2001), 562.
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“The Drunkard’s Progress. From the First Glass to the Grave., Nathaniel Currier,” Springfield Museums, November 3, 2015, https://springfieldmuseums.org/collections/item/the-drunkards-progress-nathaniel-currier/.
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ended in ruin. Other temperance era propaganda, such as Devil’s Toboggan Slide
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published by the National Temperance Society showed a similar fate. Such images aimed to discourage the American public from drinking at all, yet failed to offer alcoholics resources with which to address their addiction. The services of Alcoholics Anonymous were publicized soon after its founding, and a 1941 article published in the Saturday Evening Post
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was met with an immensely
positive response, indicating that there was both a lack of adequate publicization of resources for alcoholics and that spreading the message of recovery in mainstream media was an effective way
to attract those seeking aid. Zoe, you need to get your citation format in order. Never put a superscript number in the middle of a sentence. Alcoholics Anonymous would go on to produce numerous short public service announcements in the form of videos made for television to further increase its reach. These public service announcements depicted alcoholics in an empathetic manner, often offering a message of hope, as well as a phone number to call for more information. Many public service announcements featured brief testimonials from members of AA discussing their initial reservations about attending meetings or getting sober or actors playing individuals who had hit their lowest point in their addiction before seeking treatment. These sound like excellent primary
sources! Where did you find them? In my paper, I plan to use examples of public service announcements to support the idea that the general attitude towards alcoholism and the stigma towards alcoholics has shifted over the course of the last century from one of shaming drinkers to
offering them support and encouragement. But I’m imagining that the psa’s all came out during 4
“Devil's Toboggan Slide,” Ohio History Connection, September 9, 2016, https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p267401coll32/id/21796/#:~:text=1910s,%2C%20beer%2C%20wine
%20and%20whiskey.
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“The Story behind Jack Alexander's Article,” Alcoholics Anonymous, accessed March 20, 2023, https://www.aa.org/the-story-behind-Jack-Alexanders-article.
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the same period. Correct? If so, how do you show change over time? If you had AA psas from multiple decades you could compare them. Overall, my paper will attempt to address how Alcoholics Anonymous has opened the gate for millions of people in America to begin to engage in a dialogue about drinking that is both accessible and supportive, and in doing so has changed the general discourse regarding drinking and recovery. In comparing AA and other anti-alcohol media, as well as further researching treatment towards and of alcoholism prior to AA, I believe that I will be able to support the concept that the normalization of alcoholism and getting sober can be greatly attributed to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous. This is a big goal. I like your topic but right
now it seems pretty broad. I encourage you to identify an assortment of primary sources first, and
then build your argument based on those sources- in other words, if you have similar sources from an extended period of time, you could make an argument about change over time. When we
meet at noon on Friday please be prepared to tell me what sources, exactly, you will be using, and what kind of argument you think you can make based on them. You should have read all your sources by then, if possible. B+ 88%
Bibliography
“Declaration of Principles.” WCTU. Accessed March 20, 2023. https://www.wctu.org/declaration-of-principles. Wilson, Bill. Alcoholics Anonymous
. A.A World Services, 2001.
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“The Drunkard’s Progress. From the First Glass to the Grave., Nathaniel Currier.” Springfield Museums, November 3, 2015. https://springfieldmuseums.org/collections/item/the-
drunkards-progress-nathaniel-currier. “Devil's Toboggan Slide.” Ohio History Connection, September 9, 2016. https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p267401coll32/id/21796/#:~:text=1910s,%2C
%20beer%2C%20wine%20and%20whiskey. “The Story behind Jack Alexander's Article.” Alcoholics Anonymous. Accessed March 20, 2023.
https://www.aa.org/the-story-behind-Jack-Alexanders-article. “Sobriety in A.A.: My Drinking Built a Wall.” Alcoholics Anonymous. Accessed March 20, 2023. https://www.aa.org/Sobriety-in-AA-My-Drinking-Built-a-Wall. Wilson, Bill. “Let's Be Friendly with Our Friends.” Recovery Collectibles. AA Grapevine. Accessed March 20, 2023. https://recoverycollectibles.com/collections/aa-memorabilia-
magazines-periodicals-pamphlets/products/let-s-be-friendly-with-our-friends.
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