the spaces that non-human animals occupy in human social and cultural worlds
the interactions humans have with other animals.
The symbolic uses of non-human animals
the ways in which animal lives intersect with human societies.
The ways in which humans are dependent on other animals
The ways in which humans construct, in part, their identities through other animals
Hundreds of college courses in over 200 colleges in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, the Netherlands, and Israel
Almost 3 dozen degree and certificate programs
Over a dozen journals, both print and online
A half dozen book series
Over two dozen organizations
Eight veterinary programs
Over two hundred law programs
An annual summer fellowship program
Sub-units or sections devoted to HAS in the following disciplinary organizations:
The American Sociological Association
the American Psychological Association
the American Historical Association
the Society for the Study of Ethics and Animals
the Association of American Geographers
the American Academy of Religion
We interact with animals on a daily basis, in every area of our lives
We eat them
We eat them
We wear them
We wear them
We use them for medical research and testing
We use them for medical research and testing
We use them to provide services to us
We use them to provide services to us
They are part of our religious beliefs and practices
They are part of our religious beliefs and practices
We watch them on TV
We watch them on TV
And in the movies
And in the movies
And online
And online
And at the circus, zoo, and marine mammal park
And at the circus, zoo, and marine mammal park
They are in our art
They are in our art
In our symbols
In our symbols
In our books
In our books
And in our language
And in our language
We live with them as family members
We live with them as family members
Teaching Human-Animal Studies
Why have the lives of animals, and human-animal relations been historically omitted from scholarly study?
Human superiority contributed to ignorance
They have been objects of study but not subjects of a life
There are dangers associated with giving animals subjectivity and individuality
This brings up two of the problems faculty may encounter:
Convincing your dean/dept. chair/other faculty that you are not teaching an animal rights course or that you are not teaching a silly course
Exposing students to information that challenges their own beliefs and understandings about humans, other animals, and society
HAS can be taught as stand-alone courses in disciplines in the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences
HAS material can be added as sections into many courses in those same fields
Students can be assigned full books, chapters from books, or readers created by the instructor
Armstrong, Susan and Richard Botzler. 2008. The Animal Ethics Reader. London, England: Continuum.
Donovan, Josephine and Carol Adams, eds. 1996. Beyond Animal Rights:A Feminist Caring Ethic for the Treatment of Animals. New York: Continuum.
Kalof, Linda and Brigitte Resl, eds. 2007. A Cultural History of Animals. Oxford and New York: Berg.
Manning, Aubrey and James Serpell, eds. 1994. Animals and Human Society: Changing Perspectives. London: Routledge.
Podberscek, Anthony L., Elizabeth S. Paul, and James A. Serpell. 2000. Companion Animals and Us. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Regan, Tom and Peter Singer, eds. 1989. Animal Rights and Human Obligations. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Rothfels, Nigel, ed. 2002. Representing Animals. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Because HAS is both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary, courses can easily draw from material from many other fields
History, Ethics, Geography, Women’s Studies, Ethnic Studies, and Media Studies are all fields that can be borrowed from for other disciplines
There are vast numbers of films, both documentary and feature films, that can be used in the classroom
There are vast numbers of films, both documentary and feature films, that can be used in the classroom
There is also fantastic material on Youtube
Some of the images and material in some of these films are extremely difficult to watch, and instructors must choose them carefully and facility class discussions thoughtfully
“Dogs that Changed the World”
“Holy Cow”
“Why Dogs Smile and Chimpanzees Cry”
“A Conversation with Koko”
“Ape Genius”
“Ayumu & Ai”
“Chimp Talk”
“Animal Minds”
The Ape: So Human”
“The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill”
“Katrina’s Animal Rescue”
“The Natural History of the Chicken”
“Cane Toads”
Depends on discipline and interests of instructor
In Margo DeMello’s sociology class, we begin with a section on the social construction of the animal
In the Chinese encyclopedia The Celestial Emporium of Benevolent Knowledge it is written that animals are divided into:
‘… (a) those that belong to the Emperor, (b) the embalmed ones, (c) those that are trained, (d) suckling pigs, (e) mermaids, (f) fabulous ones, (g) stray dogs, (h) those that are included in this classification, (i) those that tremble as if they were mad, (j) innumerable ones, (k) those drawn with a very fine camel’s hair brush, (l) others, (m) those that have just broken a flower vase, (n) those that resemble flies from a distance.’
Jose Luis Borges ‘The Analytic Language of John Wilkins’ in Other Inquisitions
In an essay called "Who Swims with the Tuna", David Quammen asks: why do we worry about trapping dolphins in tuna nets, and not worry about the tuna trapped in tuna nets?
In an essay called "Who Swims with the Tuna", David Quammen asks: why do we worry about trapping dolphins in tuna nets, and not worry about the tuna trapped in tuna nets?
The killing of dolphins is a national outrage; the killing of tuna is a given.
Furthermore, on our grocery shelves nowadays we find cans of a product called dolphin-safe tuna. But no tuna-safe dolphin. But why?
Historical and Comparative Perspectives
Animals as Philosophical and Ethical Subjects
Animals as Symbols/ Animals in Language/ Representing Animals
Animal Emotions, Intelligence and Reflexivity
Animal Assistants and the Human-Animal Bond
Working with Animals
Attitudes toward other Animals
Animals as Pets
Animals as Food
Animals as Entertainment
Animals as Scientific Objects
Violence to Animals and Humans
Shared Oppressions
The Animal Protection Movement
Photos, cartoons and other images
Poetry
Folktales and myths
Literary excerpts
News stories
Humor
“Real” animals
The earth trembled and a great rift appeared, separating the first man and woman from the rest of the animal kingdom. As the chasm grew deeper and wider, all other creatures, afraid for their lives, returned to the forest - except for the dog, who after much consideration, leapt the perilous rift to stay with the humans on the other side. His love for humanity was greater than his bond for other creatures, he explained, and he willingly forfeited his place in paradise to prove it.
The earth trembled and a great rift appeared, separating the first man and woman from the rest of the animal kingdom. As the chasm grew deeper and wider, all other creatures, afraid for their lives, returned to the forest - except for the dog, who after much consideration, leapt the perilous rift to stay with the humans on the other side. His love for humanity was greater than his bond for other creatures, he explained, and he willingly forfeited his place in paradise to prove it.
Native American folktale
Well—one at least is safe. One shelter’d hare
Well—one at least is safe. One shelter’d hare
has never heard the sanguinary yell
of cruel man, exulting in her woes.
Innocent partner of my peaceful home,
Whom ten long years’ experience of my care
Has made at last familiar; she has lost
Much of her vigilant instinctive dread,
Not needful here, beneath a roof like mine.
Yes--thou may’st eat thy bread, and lick the hand
That feeds thee; thou may’st frolic on the floor
At evening, and at night retire secure
To thy straw couch, and slumber unalarm’d;
For I have gain’d the confidence, have pledg’d
All that is human in me to protect
Thine unsuspecting gratitude and love.
If I survive thee I will dig thy grave;
And, when I place thee in it, sighing, say,
I knew at least one hare that had a friend.
From “The Garden” by William Cowper (1785)
Why is it ethical to eat animals?
Why can’t we kill other humans if it serves our own interests?
How intelligent are other animals?
What if animals could use human language?
Can animals have pets?
What are our obligations, if any, to other animals?
