Ayahuasca and ‘Shamanism’
Richard G. Alexander
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca Shamanism |
| Keywords | Indigenous Context archaeology Commodification Tourism Colonialism Consumption sociology Phenomenon |
| Key points | Argues that the term 'shamanism' has colonial roots and its use in ayahuasca tourism perpetuates reductive and romanticised notions of indigenous cultures. |
Abstract
AbstractThis chapter provides a critical overview of the ayahuasca phenomenon within the context of global psychedelic tourism. It begins by exploring the terminological and psychopharmacological details of ayahuasca, then surveys key interdisciplinary literature on its use in both indigenous and Western contexts. The chapter critiques the problematic application of the term ‘shamanism’, revealing its colonial roots, and highlights how its contemporary use in tourism perpetuates reductive and romanticised notions of indigenous cultures.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California | 1998 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From Culture to Experience: Shamanism in the Pages of the Soviet Anti-Religious Press | 2020 | Historical analysis | |
| Anthropology, Shamanism, and Alternate Ways of Knowing–Being in the World: One Anthropologist's Journey of Discovery and Transformation | 2010 | Reflective essay or personal narrative |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Current Drug Abuse Reviews June 1, 2013
- Human psychopharmacology of N,N-dimethyltryptamine Behavioural Brain Research December 1, 1995
- The Globalization of Ayahuasca Shamanism and the Erasure of Indigenous Shamanism Anthropology of Consciousness September 1, 2016
- Ayahuasca improves emotion dysregulation in a community sample and in individuals with borderline-like traits Psychopharmacology November 7, 2018
- Therapeutic potential of ayahuasca in grief: a prospective, observational study Psychopharmacology January 14, 2020
and 2 more in the library