Can’t dance without being drunk? Exploring the enjoyment and acceptability of conscious clubbing in young people

This chapter discusses the emergence of the conscious clubbing movement and its potential benefits to young people aged 18–24 as an alternative way of spending social time without drinking alcohol. It first considers why efforts to promote moderate drinking among university students may fail where the environment strongly encourages drinking. The conscious clubbing phenomena are then introduced with examples of organisations and events from around the world. Drawing on the results of an exploratory survey, the chapter then highlights the ways in which conscious clubbing could bring about meaningful experiences in participants’ lives,including increased opportunities for connection with other people. Finally,the chapter discusses new directions for research in this area, including further in-depth qualitative research and conscious clubbing interventions for heavy drinkers.