The theme of our next issue will be The Underbelly of Health. We want to explore various aspects of the war on drugs, preventative healthcare versus big pharma, increasing social work competence & knowledge through exploration of a dual degree program with the school of pharmacy, nutrition and mental health through mind & body, holistic and alternative healthcare, maternal health, etc.
Did You Have a Nice Trip? Substances are inextricable from the human experience, from the chemicals in the foods we eat to the medications we take, prescribed or unprescribed, to the recreational substances we prefer, legal or illegal. The law does not, as it claims, delineate between safe and unsafe drugs but instead establishes a rigid status quo around substances. Some of the most dangerous and addictive chemicals are legal, widely available, or determined to have medicinal value. Some of the safest (in terms of overdose rates, addictive potential, and long-term health effects) are illegal and medically rejected, despite true potential for medicinal benefit.
Under the April theme of The Underbelly of Health, The Disruptor contributors seek in part to interrogate humanity’s relationship with substances that induce altered states of consciousness. In order to do so, we seek to aggregate a wide variety of stories from the most difficult to the most helpful experiences resultant from the ingestion of a mind-altering substance. We are calling for submissions from all who are willing to anonymously share their encounters with psychoactive chemicals.
We have drawn this model from the #ThankYouPlantMedicine Movement that encourages people to post about therapeutic or otherwise helpful experiences with psychotropic plants to reduce stigmatization and spread awareness about the massive therapeutic potential of psychedelic plants. The Disruptor staff find it important to broaden this model to include difficult or negative experiences and substances that do not fall under the umbrella of plant medicine; legal, pharmaceutical, addictive, or otherwise.
The Social Work profession is deeply entangled with substance use, abuse, and addiction, therefore social workers must be at the forefront of drug-related policy, ideology and discussion. Our hope in creating a platform for these testimonials is to foster further conversation and encourage an ongoing interrogation of the substance status quo.
We welcome submissions in any form of expression: writing, drawing, etc.—whatever best represents your experience. Additionally, we would like to hear from as many people as possible--this is not limited to students & alumni. Submit anonymously by April 5th using this form: https://form.jotform.com/210718268481156
We want to showcase your art! Whether it's a painting, a sculpture, a song, or anything in between, we'd love to share it with our readers. Art submissions can be related to the theme, but it is not necessary.
Field Check-In. Did you know that the field seminar is intended to foster critical self-reflection, facilitate conversations around privilege and oppression, and merge theory with practice? Did your field seminar meet these goals? Tell us about your experience, whether it contributed to your educational experience and how. We are offering a confidential option for these reflections; please indicate your preference along with your submission to sswstudentjournal@gmail.com by April 5th.
We are looking for all types of submissions for this issue: reflections, papers, commentary, creative writing, art, photography, or any other form of expression that we can share online. For informal commentary and reflections we will take up to 750 words and up to 1500 words for academic work with an option to share the authors' contact information to obtain the full-length work. Please email submissions to sswstudentjournal@gmail.com by April 5th for consideration. We prioritize submissions from UMB SSW students and alumni. Every submission goes through a 2-step review and editing process, after which it is returned to the author for approval. See the submissions guidelines for more information or contact us at sswstudentjournal@gmail.com with any questions.