Cultural Hallucinations and the Illusion of the Psychedelic Renaissance

Join the livestream here: https://ubc.zoom.us/j/67772822059

• Kelly Thomas, Medical Anthropology
  Coach House, Green College, UBC and livestreamed
  Monday, January 27, 8-9 pm

  in the series
  Green College Resident Members' Series
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• Although psychedelics have been present in cultures around the world for thousands of years, they have a comparatively short and fluctuating history in the West. Currently, there is a growing push to use psychedelics as medicines for conditions such as depression, PTSD, end-of-life anxiety, and addiction. This push for legalization is often referred to as a “Psychedelic Renaissance”, which promises to revolutionize the way we handle mental health conditions. However, after the multi-decade War on Drugs, it can be difficult to balance the contrasting fear and enthusiasm surrounding psychedelics. This talk will give an anthropological overview of what psychedelics are and how they are being re-understood as medicines in Western culture. By questioning some of the promises of the Psychedelic Renaissance, the audience will be encouraged to reflect on the deeper problems of our culture as well as how we relate to each other and the world around us.

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  Kelly Thomas is a second-year PhD student in Medical Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. Her research explores cultural relationships with psychedelics, with particular focus on conceptions of death, dying, and consciousness. Kelly's life-long passion has been Irish dancing, which she continues to teach when visiting her hometown of Calgary.

  
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