shocked Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 Dave King is a medical anthropology student at the University of Kent with a research interest in psychedelics. He says that he plans to study pharmacognosy at the London School of Pharmacy after his degree, before eventually going on to continue past a doctorate into ethnopharmacological research involving hallucinogens Dave is responsible for The UKC Psychedelics Society based at the University of Kent at Canterbury. This society may be of particular interest to students of medicine, anthropology, law, sociology, politics, philosophy, music, or art. The UKC Psychedelics Society aims to provide multidisciplinary information, research and news about the use and history of psychedelics. This society is not an inherently pro-drug organisation, rather a society that will aim to educate about a fascinating class of chemicals and plants. Disciplines and areas of relevant interest include the following: psychiatric use; chemical properties; the link to shamanism, spirituality and religion; their role in the evolution of modern man; law and politics; historical use; cultural perspectives; pharmacology and neurology; ethnobotany; medical safety; philosophy of freedom; and psychology of the psychedelic experience. With no intention to persuade or encourage use of psychedelics, their aims are to help reduce the possibility of negative experiences among those who have an inclination to explore such compounds by the provision of valuable information. The importance of psychedelics in psychotherapy is, once again, rising, and their aim is to keep their members aware of current research, medical studies and any changes in legislation that may accompany this growing recognition of psychiatric use. Aims: 1. To draw attention to the beneficial, psychotheraputic uses of a class of compounds currently buried in stigma. 2. To explain the origin of that stigma, and help reduce it. 3. To teach members about areas of research that may be previously unknown to them. 4. To incite interesting and productive debate between anti-drug and pro-drug members, both of whom we wish to invite. 5. To invite specialist guest speakers to present lectures We want to provide an open-ended and unbiased forum for people who are interested in discussing the past, present and future of the use of psychedelic drugs. The society shall focus on using guest speakers to inform and educate its members on areas of psychedelic research as diverse as the law, history, anthropology, chemistry, the psychotherapeutic benefits and the philosophical implications of the psychedelic experience The more that we see psychedelics through a scientific lens the more one must start to accept these substances are not quite what we have been led to believe. If one stops thinking of psychedelic drugs as simply ‘illicit’, and instead thinks of them as ‘medicinal’, one must naturally begin to look at the results of medical trials and scientific examinations. A list of people who have expressed interest in giving presentations to the Psychedelics Society include: Dr. Ben Sessa: Consultant psychiatrist and hallucinogen researcher. Dr. Peter Brackenridge: Doctor running an ibogaine clinic in London. Dr. Anna Waldstein: Lecturer in Medical Anthropology and Ethnobotany, and Convenor of the BSc in Medical Anthropology at the University of Kent. Dr. Raj Puri: Senior Lecturer in Environmental Anthropology and Convenor of the MA/MSc programme in Environmental Anthropology. Dr. Axel Klein: Lecturer in the Study of Addictive Behaviour. Dr. Dan Lloyd: Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology. Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris: Research Fellow of the Neuropsychopharmacology unit at Imperial College. Alexander Beiner: Novelist, author of ‘Beyond the Basin’. Andy Letcher: Author of ‘Shroom’. Hattie Wells: Ethnobotanist specialising in ibogaine treatment and hallucinogens. Robbie, Psychedelic Artist. Dr. Matthew Watkins: mathematician who proved McKenna's Timewave Zero theory to be flawed October and onwards will see presentations from Dr. Cameron Adams, an anthropologist studying psychedelic culture, Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris (a neuropsychopharmacologist presenting results from a psilocybin fMRI study), Dr. Ben Sessa (a consultant psychiatrist and hallucinogen researcher presenting a talk on the history of psychedelic psychotherapy), a psychedelic artist, and many more. Publications - A Short Introduction to Hallucinogens By Dave King A brief summary of psychedelic history, written very informally and with the layperson in mind Recent article published in Thanet, Tunbridgewells and Kent news Altering the public mindset By Dave King on attitudes towards psychedelics Kent on Sunday 6th June, 2010 http://ukcpsychedelics.co.uk shocked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shocked Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 'Breaking Convention: a Multidisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Consciousness' http://ukcpsychedelics.co.uk/conference 2nd – 3rd April, 2011. University of Kent at Canterbury shocked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shocked Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Tickets / programme now available http://breakingconvention.co.uk shocked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakinitEZ Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Very interesting symposium. I wonder if it would be possible to get a transcript or video of his session. -T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.