Description
Essays on the history of psychedelics, the present renaissance, and visions for an inclusive and equitable future.
As psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapies explode into the popular consciousness, what does it mean to cultivate and embody a psychedelic renaissance that learns from the past and prepares for the future?
From cultural appropriation and sustainability to diversity, inclusion and venture capitalism, Psychedelic Justice: Toward a Diverse and Equitable Psychedelic Culture examines the history of psychedelics, celebrates its present moment and contemplates how advocates and policymakers can shape the future integration of psychedelics into general society.
An anthology of essays written for the Chacruna Institute and edited by its co-founders Bia Labate, Ph.d, and Clancy Cavnar, Psy.D, Psychedelic Justice highlights the need for an inclusionary, societal-level approach to the psychedelic renaissance. In addition to psychedelics and drug policy, works in this book examine psychedelics in the contexts of capitalism, Indigenous traditions, reciprocity, sustainability, mental health, diversity, sex, power, and more.
A mirror of the vision for a more inclusive psychedelic future, Psychedelic Justice highlights voices that have been long marginalized in Western psychedelic culture: women, queer people, people of color, and Indigenous people. Essay authors include Labate, Cavnar, Belina Eracho, MPH, Bill Brennan, Ph.D (C), NiCole T. Buchanan, Ph.D, Erika Dyck, Ph.D, Jeanna Eichenbaum, LCSW, Sean Lawler, MFA, Monnica T. Williams, Ph.D, ABPP and more.
With a focus on radical cultural transformation as the guiding force behind visionary social change and the future of psychedelics, Psychedelic Justice: Toward a Diverse and Equitable Psychedelic Culture, is a guide for a more inclusive and equitable tomorrow.
Endoresments
“This volume should be necessary reading for anyone interested in psychedelics or is in some way part of the so-called psychedelic renaissance. It brings together diverse voices that do a marvelous job highlighting the difficult conversations within the community. Read with an open mind and prepare to be humbled.” —Evgenia Fotiou, Ph.D., Cultural Anthropologist
“For those at the crest of the wave, the once illicit, now burgeoning emergent field of psychedelic research and treatments, offers immense and rich possibilities. Who is included, who has safe access, who has the power and privilege of participating, dispensing, and using psychedelics, are crucial issues and questions that must be brought to the fore. For People of the Global Majority, POC, BIPOC, and Queer communities, wondering where you fit in, in the field of psychedelics, and for all others who care about social justice in healing, the dynamic and diverse voices presented in the beautifully written, Chacruna Anthology, Psychedelic Justice, provide a vitally important, cultural and historical resource that passionately and thoughtfully explores these issues.” —Licia Sky, Co-founder and CEO of the Trauma Research Foundation
“A powerful and thought provoking collection of essays that confront our colonial and patriarchal collective shadow. Deeply informative and challenging, the way thinking ought to be these days, as we are taking giant leaps towards psychedelic mainstreaming.” —Maria Papaspyrou, co-editor of Psychedelics and Psychotherapy: The Healing Potential of Expanded States and Psychedelic Mysteries of the Feminine
“For those interested in capturing critical issues too often ignored, this volume confronts head-on a a plethora of themes that pivot around discrimination, exploitation and extraction both surrounding and within psychedelic encounters. A must-read for experts, students, and aficionados.” —Daniela Peluso, Emeritus Fellow, University of Kent (UK)
“Questions about whether and how psychedelics can lead to a better world have abounded for decades in the West, but it’s notoriously hard to translate profound psychedelic experiences of unity, transcendence, and love into values-driven action in our everyday consensus reality. Dr. Labate and Dr. Cavnar’s new edited book Psychedelic Justice highlights many of the challenges we face in navigating diversity, equity, access, and ethics in this current psychedelic renaissance. These are not easy topics, but by addressing spiritual bypassing and engaging in mutually respectful dialogue, we can raise voices that too often are silenced. There’s enough room for all of us to be included—in fact, it benefits everyone to ensure that’s so.” —Kile Ortigo, PhD, author of Beyond the Narrow Life: A Guide for Psychedelic Integration and Existential Exploration
“The imminent age of corporate psychedelia is upon us, and Therapy has been well established as the de-facto religion of neoliberal, secular individualism. Psychedelics and plant medicines, once lauded for their unmatched capacity to bring people together in an ecstatic sense of communitas, are now another sanctioned Technology of the Self at the service of the modern Individual. It is at the margins of medicalization and instrumentalization, however, that the real power and magic of these tools and allies resides. This book amplifies the voices of those who remember that real healing, like real justice, is always relational; nobody can be truly happy and healthy unless we are all happy and healthy.” —Adam Andros Aronovich, Ph.D. Candidate in Anthropology and Communications, and Director of therapy and integration at Rē precision health
“From the personal to the political and the anecdotal to the academic, Psychedelic Justice amplifies diverse and singular voices providing much needed perspectives at a mission critical moment in the field. For anyone whose values include engaging the question of how psychedelics can best be integrated into society in ways that engender healing for all people, Psychedelic Justice is an essential stop on our collective journey.” —Kat Conour, LMFT, Founder, Auryn Project
“We live in harrowing times; we face a growing list of worldwide inequities and a seemingly shrinking list of effective strategies to save us from ourselves. But Dr. Labate and Dr. Cavnar aren’t ready to give up. Psychedelic Justice, is an expansive collection of essays from a diverse group of brilliant minds that give hope that psychedelics can create a shared consciousness. Psychedelic Justice’s breadth of data, perspective and ideas will challenge you, humble you, and inspire you to be a positive force in shaping a world where psychedelics belong to all.” —Steven Huang, Founder of Millennial HR Design: Diversity and Psychedelics Consulting
“Finally I can see myself, my ancestors, my children reflected in a text about psychedelics! This is a necessary book for anyone in the field to add to their scholarly collection, particularly Black and Brown folx in the psychedelic space who find themselves often missing from the pages of popular publications about “the psychedelic renaissance. Thanks to Chacruna for this offering, a full picture of what these times and these medicines mean for all of us and so beautifully capturing these “missing voices” by giving them a platform to speak with this collection.” —Courtney Watson, LMFT, Owner of Doorway Therapeutic Services
“Sharp, original, and insightful! Psychedelic Justice presents a series of unique and informed perspectives that are truly engaged with cultural diversity and reciprocity. Every chapter is a breath of fresh air that embraces an astonishing journey in the psychedelic landscape.” ─Osiris González, Postdoc researcher in cognitive freedom and psychedelic humanities