Psychedelics and Entheogens

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to world of psychedelics, entheogens and new religious movements. We will thus examine individual substances, their use in non-religious contexts, and their use in purportedly religious ones. We will look at ethnographies, primary sources, and histories throughout the semester. Traditions that we examine will include many from outside of the United States. We will look closely at legal issues pertaining to the use of schedule 1 substances by religious communities. We will look at gender issues and queer psychedelic phenomenology. We will also look at the ethical and legal issues pertaining to biopiracy. There will be guest speakers with medical, legal, and insider expertise. Counts as a Human Diversity & Commonality course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course.