animal studies: how to bring activism into academia
TRANSCRIPT
Animal Studies: how to bring activism
into academiaTereza Vandrovcová
Overview
Very brief introduction to Animal Studies Why is it important How to bring it into academia How to keep it alive
Animal Studies (Human-Animal Studies, Anthrozoology) Relationships between humans and animals (real or
symbolic) Informed by natural science
Better understanding Multidisciplinary approach
Nature (real physical identity) vs. Culture (human categories)
How we classify them shapes how we see and treat them (and vice versa)
Just world phenomenon, Blaming the victim
Social Construction of Animals
Parallel to Animal Protection/Rights Movement Similar to the development of Women's studies or
African-American studies Feminism, Civil Rights Moral philosophy:
Peter Singer: Animal Liberation (1975) Tom Regan: The Case for Animal Rights (1983)
Critical Animal Studies
Not only description but also critical analysis Goal: eliminate the domination and opression of animals
and to transform higher education into a more inclusive environment for considering all species.
Advocating for the dismantling of the animal-industrial complex, and for veganism.
Why is it important for AR movement Education of the new generation of academics Communication of these ideas on the different level
(influencing state institutions, other academics, politics etc.)
Media coverage of animal related topic (influencing public opinion)
How to bring it into academia and keep it alive1. As a student or an academic write papers and thesis
about animal related topics2. Join academic networks of Animal Studies3. Organize a conference (student, national, itnernational)4. Start a website/blog/fb page5. Teach a course about Animal Studies and be a thesis
supervisor6. Publish – Animal Studies introduction articles, books,
popular articles in media etc…
Write student papers, thesis etc. Use online Animal Studies bibliographies
For example: Animal Studies Bibliographyhttp://www.animalstudies.msu.edu/bibliography.php
Ask academics from abroad for help Share your work with fellow students
Join academic networks of Animal Studies HAS Listserv (yahoo group)
http://www.animalsandsociety.org/human-animal-studies/has-listserv/ EACAS: European Association for Critical Animal Studies
Facebook group, website http://eacas.eu
Human-Animal Studies (Facebook group) Institute for Critical Animal Studies
Facebook group, website www.criticalanimalstudies.org
List of organizations European Association for Critical Animal Studies (EACAS)
http://www.eacas.eu Minding Animals
https://mindinganimals.com The Institute for Critical Animal Studies (ICAS)
http://www.criticalanimalstudies.org Centre for Human Animal Studies (CfHAS)
https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/cfhas/ Animals & Society Institute
http://www.animalsandsociety.org ISAZ (International Society for Anthrozoology)
http://www.isaz.net
Organize a conference (student, national, international)
Become a member of EACAS.euand organize the bi-annual konference of Critical Animal Studies
Start a website/blog/fb page in your language Why:
networking sharing ideas and sources informing new students
Content Brief introduction Links to organizations, books and the other useful info Student and adacemic papers Info about upcoming conferences
Teach a course about Animal Studiesand be a thesis supervisor Support of new students interested in this field Spreading Animal Rights message among students
Discussions, projects, reading papers… Establishing Animal Studies at your university Use the pedagogic books of Margo de Mello
Books
Margo DeMello. Animals and Society: An Introduction to Human-Animal Studies (whole lectures and sources)
Margo DeMello (Ed.). Teaching the Animal: Human-Animal Studies across the Disciplines (syllabi, critical essays and other course materials)
Books
Nik Taylor and Richard Twine. The Rise of Critical Animal Studies: from the margins to the centre
Anthony J. Nocella II et al. (eds). Defining Critical Animal Studies
Books
Aubrey Manning and James Serpell (eds.) Animals and Human Society: Changing Perspectives
Adrian Franklin. Animals and Modern Cultures: A Sociology of Human-Animal Relations in Modernity
Publish
Animal Studies introduction articles and books in your language
Popular papers (news, personal blogs, animal rights website…)
Get ready for the media atention International Journals and conferences
Journals
Anthrozoös (1987)http://www.isaz.net/anthrozoos.html
Society & Animals Journal (1993)http://www.animalsandsociety.org/human-animal-studies/society-and-animals-journal
Journal for Critical Animal Studies (2003)http://journalforcriticalanimalstudies.org/
Humanimalia (2009)http://www.depauw.edu/site/humanimalia/
