Marlene Dobkin De Rios Ph.D.

About the Author

Marlene Dobkin De Rios, Ph.D., is a pioneering anthropologist and ethnobotanist whose groundbreaking research has illuminated the profound intersections of indigenous healing practices and psychoactive plants in South American cultures. With a career spanning over four decades, she immersed herself in the Amazonian traditions of ayahuasca and shamanism, collaborating with native healers, ayahuasqueros, and fellow ethnobotanists to document the therapeutic and spiritual dimensions of these rituals. Her work challenges Western misconceptions about psychedelics, emphasizing their role in psychological healing and cultural preservation. As a prolific author and lecturer, De Rios has influenced generations of scholars, blending rigorous academic inquiry with empathetic fieldwork to advocate for the respectful study of entheogens. Her legacy endures through her insightful contributions to anthropology and consciousness studies.