Psychedelic substances and contemporary culture in Slovenia : diploma thesis

Šestan, Vjera (author), Pužar, Aljoša (mentor)

In this paper I provide a detailed account of the history and present use of psychedelic substances on a global scale as well as locally in Slovenia. As part of the discourse of psychedelic substances I address plants, mushrooms and animals as well as synthetic substances. The culture of utilization of these substances is described and analysed using available multidisciplinary literature and is based on ethnographic and autoethnographic material. Additionally, this research offers an analysis of man’s amplified interest in researching and utilizing psychedelic substances, which is itself experiencing its so-called third renaissance. The objective of this paper is to affirm the relevance, significance and purpose of psychedelic substances in medicinal research, traditional rites and everyday Slovenian culture in the past and present. While providing detailed information about the culture of psychedelic substances use and shedding light on the beneficial sides of taking them, this paper also aims to open the debate about negative aspects of their (ab)use from a global perspective. One of the issues that are highlighted in this work is the need for preserving the ecological and social systems of Indigenous Americans. As one of the resolutions, with this paper I propose a possibility and motivation for researching flora and fauna which contain psychedelic substances and awakening the knowledge of local traditions in Slovenia and in the Balkans.

• Language: English
• Keywords: psychedelic substances, traditional rites, contemporary popular culture, ethnography, autoethnography
• Work type: Bachelor thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.11 - Undergraduate Thesis
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Place of publishing: Ljubljana
• Publisher: V. Šestan
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 1 spletni vir (1 datoteka PDF (50 str.))
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-161657
• UDC: 316.7(497.4)(043.2)
• COBISS.SI-ID: 209220099
• Publication date in RUL: 13.09.2024

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Psihedelične snovi in sodobna kultura v Sloveniji

Abstract

V diplomski nalogi podrobneje predstavljam zgodovino in sedanjo uporabo psihedeličnih snovi v svetovnem merilu kot, tudi lokalno v Sloveniji. V okviru diskurza o psihedeličneh snoveh obravnavam rastline, gobe in živali, kot tudi sintetične substance. Kultura uporabe teh snovi je opisana in analizirana s pomočjo dostopne multidisciplinarne literature ter temelji na etnografskem in avtoetnografskem gradivu. Diplomska naloga ponuja tudi analizo vzrokov večjega interesa za raziskovanje in uporabo psihedelikov, ki doživlja t.i. tretjo renesanso. Cilj raziskave je potrditi relevantnost, ustreznost in namen uporabe psihedeličnih snovi v medicinskih raziskavah, tradicionalnih obredih in vsakdanji slovenski kulturi v preteklosti in sedanjosti. Medtem, ko ponuja podrobne informacije o kulturi uporabe psihedeličnih snovi in osvetli njene pozitivne plati, naloga prav tako stremi k odpiranju razprave o negativnih posledicah njihove (zlo)rabe iz širše, svetovne perspektive. Med drugim izpostavlja problematiko ogrožanja ekoloških in družbenih sistemov ameriških staroselcev, hkrati pa ponuja priložnost in motivacijo za raziskovanje flore in favne, ki vsebujejo psihedelične snovi in obujanje znanja lokalnih tradicij v Sloveniji in na Balkanu.

• Keywords: psihedelične snovi, tradicionalni obredi, sodobna popularna kultura, etnografija, autoetnografija