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.