Video: Global Ayahuasca: A Book Talk with Anthropologist Alex Gearin

Ayahuasca originated in the Amazon and has long been considered sacred by many Indigenous and mestizo communities across South America. Fueled by the “psychedelic renaissance” and growing interest in its visionary and healing potential, groups serving the psychoactive brew have emerged around the world.

In this conversation, medical anthropologist Alex Gearin joined Jeffrey Breau, Program Lead for Psychedelics and Spirituality, to discuss Gearin’s book Global Ayahuasca: Wondrous Visions and Modern Worlds (2024). Drawing on fieldwork in Peru, Australia, and China, Gearin examined ayahuasca’s global spread and challenged universalizing narratives about its nature and uses, offering insight into its diverse contemporary forms.

ALEX K. GEARIN
Alex K. Gearin is a medical anthropologist whose research explores the cultural and experiential dimensions of psychedelic use. He is the author of Global Ayahuasca (Stanford University Press, 2024) and serves as Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong.