Human Animal Studies An Introduction

Human relationships to animals (both ‘real’ animals and the ideas attached to animality) have shifted over the last century. Pet ownership is on the increase, wildlife has gone from being a threat to being threatened, and animal science ruptures traditional ideas about animal capabilities and human exceptionalism. At the same time philosophy, literature and popular cultural forms inspire new questions about what it means to be human in the time of ‘humanimal’ coexistence. The field of Human Animal Studies accounts for the diverse, contemporary interplay of animals and humans. Human Animal Studies brings animal science into conversation with humanities and social scientists, and that unique coming together produces an extraordinarily dynamic, and rapidly expanding field of inquiry. This book equips students to enter this field by mapping key multidisciplinary ideas, debates and approaches.

Introduction: What is Human Animal Studies? 1. Humanism and Beyond 2. Pets and Other Persons 3. Consumption: Eating, Watching Animals 4. Animalization: Race, Colonialism and the Nation 5. Feminist Encounters 6. Animal Rights and Animal Welfare 7. Posthumanist Forms and Meaning

Fiona Probyn-Rapsey is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Gender and Cultural Studies at the University of Sydney, Australia. Her research and teaching areas focus on Gender and Cultural studies with particular emphasis on Australian studies, Human Animal studies, Feminist theory, and Postcolonial studies.