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Dynamics of Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings

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Introduction

The article Participant Observation of Alcoholics Anonymous Contrasting Roles of the Ethnographer and Ethnomethodologist ' aims to relate the study of Anthropology with scientific s other cultures and the sociological study on the rules and ways underlying the ordinary activities and social interactions . It explains and describes piece by piece the dynamics and functions that are seen and observed during the Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings

Article Summary

The article shows

the contrasting but interesting points of view of both the Ethnographer and the Ethnomethodologist based on their studies and observation . The article mentions , according to Gubrium and Holstein (as cited in O 'Halloran , 2003 ,

.82 ) naturalism seeks rich s of people and interactions as they exist and unfold in their natural habitats ' In general , it shows the background of their history and society

A research and study of an ethnographer , Milton Maxwell , was completed by combining both the observer and participant . This approach directs him to question `how the members talk about events that occurred during his active drinking or alcoholism ' In his observation , there were terms that were powerful tools that separates the awareness and behavior of the alcoholic or signals of a member distancing his past from his present stage in recovery , such as , `at that time , `it was very hard for me to accept the reality of all this ' and ` this really happened to me (as cited in O 'Halloran , 2003

.83

From a point of view of an Ethnomethologist , says that Ethnogrphy overlooks the most significant aspect of setting ' With this kind of study of sociological rules and rituals of others , would discover how members ' interaction form a perspective that permits them to accomplish discoursal actions on their own . It was made mention , `I have argued (O 'Halloran , 2000 ) that part of the effectiveness of AA is that is not only nurtured a particular type of talk but that its founders showed a profound awareness of the constitutive nature of discourse on social settings in developing the social structure of AA . AA 's Twelve Traditions and discourse conventions preclude displays of personal status distinctions and authority (O 'Hallotan 2003 ,

.86 . The resulting organization is polycephalous , egalitarian and anarchistic effectivity resisting the development of oligarchy and profrssionalisation of leadership (as cited in O 'Holloran 2003 , p86 ) and thus preserves the original mutual features of AA talk . AA would appear to offers a spiritual home to alcoholics of the type described by Bateson (as cited in O 'Holloran 2003 ,

.87

Summary

Combining the study and expertise of both the Ethnographer and the Ethnomethodologist , understanding the dynamics of the Alcoholic Anonymous meetings and the members of the said group will be made easier for outsiders . Recovering alcoholics and addicts need a certain kind of support - a group that they know people can help and understand their dwellings , for they , themselves have experienced and had gone through it . The...