Call for papers - Special Issue "How is a plant banned? On how plants become drugs"

Plants in their natural state or with different degrees of transformation have been strictly forbidden because they are supposed to cause harm to human health. It is the case of plants like coca, marijuana, poppy, mushrooms, cactus, and iboga. The punitive enforcement of these provisions has been mainly through police and military means. By contrast, these plants are central agents in political, therapeutic, and agricultural practices - performed by indigenous, riverine peoples and peasant communities, as well as urban collectives of diverse religious experiences.

The relationship between plants and drugs has been the object of abundant studies about its multiple nutritional and pharmaceutical uses for the cure of contemporary ills. At the same time, this association has been the object and the justification for the construction of a huge prohibitionist universe - the War on Drugs. As an effect, chemical warfare and necropolitical actions have been executed and promoted the extermination of rural and urban populations around Latin America.

The constitution of circuits where plants and drugs flow is a global and grounded process, literally. Present and hidden. Vital and deadly. Subject to the most vicious attacks from the most diverse fronts. These circuits that plants and drugs create, sustain, and in which they expand are porous and enjoy a great capacity for reconfiguration and resilience. This is also why their analysis is challenging and elusive.

Thus, this special issue aims to gather researchers to share anthropological analyses of plants and drugs. We call for works with a focus on Latin America, not necessarily national spaces. It also prise for reflection on diverse empirical contexts: the land, the hand that cultivates, the office, public policy, weapons, among others.

Proposals must be sent until February 28, 2022, through the electronic system of Cadernos de Campo journal, they must agree to the editorial norms. The texts must be de-identified, respect the ethical principles of research in Anthropology, and be no longer than 9000 words. Questions and suggestions throughout the process can be directed to cadcampo@gmail.com.

Cadernos de Campo is an open-access journal edited by the Graduate School in Social Anthropology at the University of São Paulo. The editorial process is a double-blind review and there are no fees for evaluation or publication. For more information, www.revistas.usp.br/cadernosdecampo