Purpose and History

PURPOSE

The Society for Consciousness Studies is a professional scholarly organization that honors work of quality from any authentic scholarly tradition. Moreover, while it recognizes the importance of cognitive and reductionist approaches, it does not privilege them. Rather, it welcomes them along with other paradigms. The society is particularly interested in consciousness as experience (or subjectivity), and consciousness as a sense of being.

HISTORY AND THE FOUNDING COMMITMENT OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSCIOUSNESS STUDIES

The Society for Consciousness Studies is a professional scholarly organization honoring quality in all authentic scholarly and research traditions. It also celebrates the many dimensions of the liberal arts that are embraced and enriched by the study of consciousness.

Founded

In 2012, by a small group of scholars and researchers working in varying fields consciousness studies.

Requirements of its Membership

Serious interest and involvement in scholarship or research in the field of consciousness studies.

Founding Members

Present Members

As of 2018, the Society grown to over 170 members, including researchers, scholars, academics, and students from the North America, Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia.

Past Conferences

During its first year the Society held informal meetings in the San Francisco area to discuss the teaching of consciousness studies. It held its first full conference in June of 2014 in San Francisco at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Fifty talks were given at this gathering.

Future Conferences

The society has held yearly conferences alternating between the Institute of Integral Studies on the West Coast, and Yale University on the East Coast. These have included presentations by the original founders as well as prominent guest speakers. Presentations cover a wide range of research and scholarship related to the study of consciousness.

Mail Distribution List

The Society maintains a mail distribution list among its roughly 170 professional and student members.

Professional Journals

The Society edits two professional journals.

One is titled CONSCIOUSNESS: Ideas and Research for the Twenty First Century. (ISSN 2575-5552).

The second is titled Journal of Conscious Evolution. ISSN: 1555-9262.

The Future of this Organization

The Society is developing a series of reports on research, scholarship, and applications of consciousness studies. The Society plans to publish evaluations of university level courses and educational programs teaching consciousness studies.

501(c)(3) Nonprofit

The Society for Consciousness Studies officially attained 501(c)(3) status on May 10, 2018.