Animal Death

(Paperback)

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Description

Animal death is a complex, uncomfortable, depressing, motivating and sensitive topic. For those scholars participating in human-animal studies, it is accompanied by the concept of 'life' the ground upon which their studies commence, whether those studies are historical, archaeological, social, philosophical, or cultural. It is a tough subject to face, but as this volume demonstrates, one at the heart of human-animal relations and human-animal studies scholarship.

books have power. Words convey moral dilemmas. Human beings are capable of being moral creatures. So it may prove with the present book. Dear reader, be warned. Reading about animal death may prove a life-changing experience. If you do not wish to be exposed to that possibility, read no further ... In the end, by concentrating our attention on death in animals, in so many guises and circumstances, we, the human readers, are brought face to face with the reality of our world. It is a world of pain, fear and enormous stress and cruelty. It is a world that will not change anytime soon into a human community of vegetarians or vegans. But at least books like this are being written for public reflection.
from the foreword by The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG

Reviews

This collection is a worthwhile read for those concerned about animal ethics. As Chloe Taylor writes, "how we treat the dead has direct implications for how we treat the living". -- Kelsi Nagy * Journal of Animal Ethics *
'The inspiring and inclusive ways in which the book challenges readers are enhanced by the chapters dealing with animal death in less predictable settings, and by its artistically oriented interrogations ... no reader of the book need feel excluded from this at once descriptive and aspirational conception of life.' -- Sam Cadman * Australian Book Review *

Author Bio

Jay Johnston is a senior lecturer in studies of religion at the University of Sydney and senior lecturer in art history and education at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales.
Fiona Probyn-Rapsey is a senior lecturer in the department of gender and cultural studies at the University of Sydney.