UNTIL NOW - I hope this is ok and along the right lines *fingers crossed*
Recap of what I want to achieve with my research project:
• What do I want to look into?
Psychedelics, the psychedelic experience and the positive impact these substances have had throughout history to the present day on society, culture, creativity and liberation
• What am I trying to say?
That psychedelics have been miss-understood and miss - educated as an attempt at controlling society.
Not just a hippie drug - not just a hippie ideology.
Psychedelics put us in touch with the core nature of our human selves - to be free
• Why do I want to say this?
Such scope for human progression and future potential we have and still are unfairly missing out on
I want to challenge incorrect views & stigma.
I want to illuminate the true values of the psychedelic experience - echoing the current medial and therapeutic re-emergence of these substances because I feel society is owed this.
Change the views of society
I want to reeducate and reniform
I want to liberate
• What is my view / stance / bias? Why is this?
I believe there is so much good to be gained from the psychedelic experience and that the facts surrounding experience, history and science show us this - despite politics, law & media and their stifling attempts at controlling and encaging society.
With this in mind - how can I go about answering my question?
Working Dissertation Title / Question:
What is the relationship between
psychedelics and liberation?
Key observations from my research - possible ideas of chapters / structures within dissertation and case studies. Focus points, areas, historical moments & movements, examples of psychedelics influencing cultural attempts at liberation (put into a logical consecutive format for my dissertation):
1: Shamanic ritual (ancient / historial)
• Liberation - key examples / sources / case studies:
• Quotes:
• Challenges / stigmas / setbacks:
• Notes:
2: 1960's / 70's Hippie counterculture movement
• Liberation - key examples / sources / case studies:
• Quotes:
• Challenges / stigmas / setbacks:
• Notes:
3: Present day - Medical and therapeutic value - reemergence
• Liberation - key examples / sources / case studies:
• Quotes:
• Challenges / stigmas / setbacks:
• Notes:
Notes to self:
Would it make more sense to make the 1960's / 70's hippie counterculture movement and ideologies the key focus and locate / situate / aim my research project here (due to the resources and breadth of information and impact on social and cultural views from this time) - then triangulate between this, shamanic ritual of the past and the present day medical and therapeutic values? I think something along these lines was discussed with Richard in my tutorial... therefore the main body structure could be something like this:
1: 1960's / 70's Hippie counterculture movement
- sets the scene
- outlines ideologies & their importance
- relate back to question
2: Shamanic ritual (ancient / historial)
- triangulate / link this back to (1)
...then end the main body focusing on present day psychedelic liberation value / examples:
3: Present day - Medical and therapeutic value - reemergence
- triangulate / link this back to (1 + 2)
...which can then link to my present day testimonials and my own practical response before concluding and finally answering my initial question / title.
Current Problems and analysis:
• Where do I include examples that challenge my research and findings?- i.e. Do I include a whole separate section based on how psychedelics DON'T effect liberation / have an adverse affect to compare and triangulate also?
• Do my case studies all have to have been related to or influenced by the psychedelic experience in some way? - Or can they just be examples of liberation? - Surely this is too vast and can be seen as irrelevant to my question - or does this provide a "neutral" / unbiased view to compare my "pro psychedelics and liberation" sources too?
• Do my visual sources/examples have to be from the design industry?
• Does this all relate to my practice and my course? Illustration - a method / means / tool for communication & education - challenge taboos - artwork with a purpose.
• Reportage fits perfectly with my research project as a practical and visual solution for OUIL602 - BUT I don't know if i can actually do reportage illustration.....is this what I want to create as an outcome?