The Political Turn in Animal Ethics

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The debate about our treatment of nonhuman animals has been traditionally dominated by moral philosophers, and the crucially important role of politics has been hitherto neglected. This innovative edited collection seeks to redress the imbalance by interrogating some vital questions about this so-called political turn in animal ethics.. The questions tackled include: What can political philosophy tell us about our moral obligations to animals Should the boundaries of the demos be expanded to allow for the inclusion of animals What kind of political system is most appropriate for the protection of animals Does the protection of animals require limits to democracy, as in constitutional devices, or a usurping of democracy, as in direct action What can the work of political scientists tell us about the governance of animal welfare Leading scholars in the field explain how engaging with politics, in its empirical and normative guises, can throw much needed light on the question of how we treat animals, and how we ought to treat them.

Reviews

This excellent volume highlights the arrival of a 'political turn' in theorizing about human-nonhuman relations, with contributions that discuss state power, democratic contestation, regulatory processes, and social movement strategy. These wide-ranging and fascinating essays not only enrich our understanding of animal ethics, but also challenge us to rethink political theory from the ground up in full recognition that we inhabit more-than-human societies and polities. Garner and O'Sullivan's volume is a superb place to start to explore both the political turn in animal ethics, and the animal turn in political theory. -- Sue Donaldson, Queen's University, Canada
The volume addresses a question that has been unduly side-lined in Western political theory: How to include nonhuman animals in our political structures in a manner that acknowledges their mental capacities and moral value It provides fresh and well-developed perspectives, brought forward by some of the brightest thinkers in the field, and is thus a highly valuable source for anyone interested inhuman-nonhuman politics. -- Elisa Aaltola, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Eastern Finland
"This much-needed collection offers useful entry points into key debates in animal politics e.g. must property in animals be abolished do animals need to be citizens to be represented but more than this, it suggests how to think and act in more textured ways about the hard work of achieving justice for nonhuman animals." -- Stefan Dolgert, Assistant Professor, Political Science, Brock University

Author Bio

Robert Garner is Professor of Politics at the University of Leicester. Siobhan OSullivan is Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of New South Wales, Australia. Contributors: Peter Chen, Senior Lecturer in Government and International Relations, University of Sydney; Alasdair Cochrane, Senior Lecturer in Political Theory, University of Sheffield; Steve Cooke, University Teacher in Theory and Animal Rights, University of Sheffield; Dan Lyons, CEO, Centre for Animals and Social Justice; Tony Milligan, Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Hertfordshire; Lucy Parry, Graduate Student, University of Sheffield; Friederike Schmitz, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Humboldt University Berlin; Kimberley Smith, Professor of Environmental Studies and Political Science, Carleton College