
Humans and nonhuman animals engage with each other in a multitude of fascinating ways. They have always done so, motivated by both necessity and choice. Yet, as human population numbers increase and our impact on the planet expands, this engagement takes on new meanings and requires new understanding.
In Engaging with Animals: Interpretations of a Shared Existence experts in the field of human–animal studies investigate, from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, the ways in which humans and other animals interact. Grouped into three broad sections, the chapters focus on themes ranging from attitudes, ethics and interactions to history, art and literature, and finally animal welfare outcomes. While offering different interpretations of human–non-human interactions, they share a common goal in attempting to find pathways leading to a mutually beneficial and shared co-existence.
Georgette Leah Burns is a senior lecturer in the School of Environment at Griffith University.
Mandy Paterson is a principal scientist with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in Queensland.
Acknowledgements Part 1: attitudes, ethics and interactions Part 2: history, art and literature Part 3: animal and human welfare Author biographies
Introduction
Georgette Leah Burns and Mandy Paterson
1. Anthropomorphism and animals in the Anthropocene
Georgette Leah Burns
2. Ethical issues within human–alloprimate interactive zones
Nicholas Malone and Ally Palmer
3. Of rats, good science and openings to relatedness
Simone Dennis
4. Blurred boundaries: humans, animals and sex
Sandra Burr
5. Encounters with Antarctic animals in ABC’s Catalyst
Sophie Fern, Kate Nash and Elizabeth Leane
6. The donkey and Mr Simpson: remembering the donkey in the Anzac legend
Jill Bough
7. Howling, haunting and the symbolic dingo
Amanda Stuart
8. Animal approximations: depicting cryptic species
Anne Taylor
9. Linguistic anthropomorphism: Timbuktu, The Whistler and The White Bone
Sally Borrell
10. TNR (trap-neuter-return): is it a solution for the management of feral cats in Australia?
Mandy Paterson
11. Animal farming in Australia: consumer awareness, concern and action
Sally Healy
12. A utilitarian argument against animal exploitation
Clare McCausland
13. Emotions in animals
Nicky McGrath and Clive Phillips
Index
‘The book should widen the scope of human–animal studies collections – and to a large extent, it does ... The Australian focus is evident in all three sections of this book. The focus adds much to the interest and importance this book has for contemporary animal ethics.’Dawne McCance'Engaging with Animals will be eagerly sought by those who have been involved in the grass roots of Animal Studies in Australasia, as well as by international scholars involved in this growing field. The thirteen essays that comprise the book display the fascinating variety of topics that are emanating from Animal Studies conferences and exemplify the value of collections such as this.'Carol Freeman
Size: 210 x 148 mm
Pages: 276
Illustrations: 9 b&w ill., 6 col. ill., 1 table
Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 9781743320297
Publication: 30 May 2014
Series: Animal Politics