Alcohol is not only big business. It is an essential part of social relations in so many cultures that its global importance may be outdistancing its critics. What does sake tell us about Japan or burgundy about France? How does consuming or indeed abstaining from alcohol tie in with self-presentation, ethnicity, class and culture? How important is alcohol to feelings of belonging and notions of resistance? Answering these intriguing questions and many more, this timely book looks at the meanings of alcohol consumption across cultures. Contributors look at the interplay of culture and...