Decoloniality in the Psychedelic Research Space
BJPsych Open June 1, 2022 J. Raphael
People in the psychedelic community understand decolonization in varied ways, with some arguing that the space can never be fully decolonized due to ongoing capitalist and neo-colonial forces. Interviews with 10 participants generated four main themes: the making of a 'new' medicine, tensions between scientism and spirituality, appreciation versus appropriation, and limits of decriminalization. The findings highlight calls not to misuse the term decoloniality and point to the need for critical indigenous methodologies to address epistemic, material, and geopolitical injustices in psychedelic research.