Animals and Society

Margo DeMello's Animals and Society is a "must" book to own and read for scholars, advocates, and others interested in the growing field of anthrozoology. Each chapter is filled with insights that extend our understanding of the role and meaning of non-human animals in the modern age. I am sure that Animals and Society will be an essential addition to our bookshelves, required readings, citations lists, and textbook adoptions in the years to come. -- Arnold Arluke, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, Northeastern University, Boston As the first published text in Human-Animal Studies, DeMello's Animals and Society: An Introduction to Human Animal Studies has undoubtedly set the standard for the field. Comprehensive in scope, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary in approach, painstakingly researched and wonderfully written, this volume should be the choice for Human-Animal Studies courses in a variety of disciplines, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. And the inclusion of essays from professionals in various disciplines is an added bonus. A most impressive accomplishment! -- Clifton P. Flynn, University of South Carolina Upstate

Considering that much of human society is structured through its interaction with non-human animals, and since human society relies heavily on the exploitation of animals to serve human needs, human-animal studies has become a rapidly expanding field of research, featuring a number of distinct positions, perspectives, and theories that require nuanced explanation and contextualization. The first book to provide a full overview of human-animal studies, this volume focuses on the conceptual construction of animals in American culture and the way in which it reinforces and perpetuates hierarchical human relationships rooted in racism, sexism, and class privilege. Margo DeMello considers interactions between humans and animals within the family, the law, the religious and political system, and other major social institutions, and she unpacks the different identities humans fashion for themselves and for others through animals. Essays also cover speciesism and evolutionary continuities; the role and preservation of animals in the wild; the debate over zoos and the use of animals in sports; domestication; agricultural practices such as factory farming; vivisection; animal cruelty; animal activism; the representation of animals in literature and film; and animal ethics. Sidebars highlight contemporary controversies and issues, with recommendations for additional reading, educational films, and related websites. DeMello concludes with an analysis of major philosophical positions on human social policy and the future of human-animal relations.