For an emancipatory animal sociology Taylor, Nik; Sutton, Zoei
Journal of sociology (Melbourne, Vic.),
12/2018, Letnik:
54, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Sociologists have contributed to the development of the animal studies field in recent decades. However, many of these ventures have been anthropocentric, stopping short of sociological calls for ...animal liberation despite the fact that critical sociological concepts are often the (unspoken) antecedents of such work. Here, we present a systematic review of peer-reviewed sociological articles on human-animal relationships since 1979. Our analysis identified key themes supporting charges of anthropocentrism, but also aspects of politicised animal sociology. Based on this we call for sociological animal studies to incorporate a specifically Emancipatory Animal Sociology: an approach grounded in a social justice and emancipatory praxis that explicitly and critically engages with the material conditions of animals' lives, taking into account the experiences and knowledge of activists and others working directly with animals and, where possible, centres the animals themselves.
Gender-bias in employment has long been a site of concern for social policy. Enduring gender patterns have seen an overrepresentation of men in high status, highly paid and executive roles, while ...women dominate less (monetarily) valued care work sectors internationally. While existing research has highlighted the negative impacts of this gender bias for women, as well as demonstrating the positive experiences of care work roles for men, it is unclear whether any significant change in male representation is occurring. This article contributes to contemporary understandings of gender-bias in employment by mapping gender patterns in the Australian healthcare and social assistance industry from 2006 to 2020. Drawing on Australian census and workforce statistical data we highlight the significant patterns over time and explore how these might inform developments in social policy to address gender bias in health and care occupations. We conclude by arguing that a broad collaboration of government, professional bodies, educational and industry organisations is needed to mount a sustained challenge to pervasive gender bias in health and care industries.
A sociology of multi-species relations Taylor, Nik; Sutton, Zoei; Wilkie, Rhoda
Journal of sociology (Melbourne, Vic.),
12/2018, Letnik:
54, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The last few decades have seen rising interest in human relationships with other species. This interest is broadly recognised as the human-animal studies field - a broad, multidisciplinary field that ...addresses both symbolic and material relationships between humans and other animals (e.g. DeMello, 2012; Taylor, 2013). Acknowledging the need to incorporate other species has proven difficult for sociology, whose disciplinary boundaries were historically constituted around the designation of an arena - 'the social' - which was defined as exclusively human. These difficulties notwithstanding, sociologists have contributed significantly to the 'animal turn' in academia (Franklin in Armstrong and Simmons, 2007: 1). And while sociology has historically situated itself firmly within a human-specific understanding of the social world, there has been a burgeoning of multi-species scholarship (see for example, Arluke and Sanders, 1996; Cudworth, 2011; Irvine, 2004; Nibert, 2003; Peggs, 2013; Taylor and Twine, 2014). This special section affords a timely snapshot of how sociologists are engaging with and responding to this 'animal turn'. In particular, it foregrounds how multi-species perspectives can open up new and critical vistas on long-held disciplinary assumptions and concepts. In this sense, sociology can also benefit from the multi-species turn as a way of developing less human-centric understandings of social lives.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to make a case for the political use of methods to shape posthumanist futures that are for animals. It makes this case by drawing on findings from qualitative ...research on the lived experience of navigating human–pet relationships.Design/methodology/approachThe argument in this paper draws on qualitative data from interviews and observations with human participants and “their” companion animals to demonstrate that centring animals in research highlights new data and encourages participants to challenge anthropocentric narratives of pet relationships.FindingsThe findings of this project indicate that using animal-inclusive research methods is effective in centring non-human animals in discussions and providing new insights into human–animal relations that can inform and move towards critical posthumanist futures.Research limitations/implicationsIf the central argument that methods play an important role in shaping social worlds is accepted then human–animal studies scholars may need to think more carefully about how they design, conduct and frame research with non-human animals.Practical implicationsIf the argument for centring companion animals in research is taken seriously, then those working with humans and companion animals in the community might significantly alter their methods to more meaningfully engage with non-human animals' experiences.Originality/valueCurrent research has concerned itself with the challenge of how to understand animals' experiences through research. There has been little consideration of how multi-species research reflects and shapes social worlds and how methods might be considered a fruitful site of transforming relations and pursuing posthumanist futures.
For an emancipatory animal sociology Nik Taylor; Zoei Sutton
Journal of sociology (Melbourne, Vic.),
12/2018, Letnik:
54, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Sociologists have contributed to the development of the animal studies field in recent decades. However, many of these ventures have been anthropocentric, stopping short of sociological calls for ...animal liberation despite the fact that critical sociological concepts are often the (unspoken) antecedents of such work. Here, we present a systematic review of peer-reviewed sociological articles on human-animal relationships since 1979. Our analysis identified key themes supporting charges of anthropocentrism, but also aspects of politicised animal sociology. Based on this we call for sociological animal studies to incorporate a specifically Emancipatory Animal Sociology: an approach grounded in a social justice and emancipatory praxis that explicitly and critically engages with the material conditions of animals' lives, taking into account the experiences and knowledge of activists and others working directly with animals and, where possible, centres the animals themselves.
For an emancipatory animal sociology Nik Taylor; Zoei Sutton
Journal of sociology (Melbourne, Vic.),
12/2018, Letnik:
54, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Sociologists have contributed to the development of the animal studies field in recent decades. However, many of these ventures have been anthropocentric, stopping short of sociological calls for ...animal liberation despite the fact that critical sociological concepts are often the (unspoken) antecedents of such work. Here, we present a systematic review of peer-reviewed sociological articles on human-animal relationships since 1979. Our analysis identified key themes supporting charges of anthropocentrism, but also aspects of politicised animal sociology. Based on this we call for sociological animal studies to incorporate a specifically Emancipatory Animal Sociology: an approach grounded in a social justice and emancipatory praxis that explicitly and critically engages with the material conditions of animals' lives, taking into account the experiences and knowledge of activists and others working directly with animals and, where possible, centres the animals themselves.
A sociology of multi-species relations Nik Taylor; Zoei Sutton; Rhoda Wilkie
Journal of sociology (Melbourne, Vic.),
12/2018, Letnik:
54, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The last few decades have seen rising interest in human relationships with other species. This interest is broadly recognised as the human-animal studies field - a broad, multidisciplinary field that ...addresses both symbolic and material relationships between humans and other animals (e.g. DeMello, 2012; Taylor, 2013). Acknowledging the need to incorporate other species has proven difficult for sociology, whose disciplinary boundaries were historically constituted around the designation of an arena - 'the social' - which was defined as exclusively human. These difficulties notwithstanding, sociologists have contributed significantly to the 'animal turn' in academia (Franklin in Armstrong and Simmons, 2007: 1). And while sociology has historically situated itself firmly within a human-specific understanding of the social world, there has been a burgeoning of multi-species scholarship (see for example, Arluke and Sanders, 1996; Cudworth, 2011; Irvine, 2004; Nibert, 2003; Peggs, 2013; Taylor and Twine, 2014). This special section affords a timely snapshot of how sociologists are engaging with and responding to this 'animal turn'. In particular, it foregrounds how multi-species perspectives can open up new and critical vistas on long-held disciplinary assumptions and concepts. In this sense, sociology can also benefit from the multi-species turn as a way of developing less human-centric understandings of social lives.
A sociology of multi-species relations Nik Taylor; Zoei Sutton; Rhoda Wilkie
Journal of sociology (Melbourne, Vic.),
12/2018, Letnik:
54, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The last few decades have seen rising interest in human relationships with other species. This interest is broadly recognised as the human-animal studies field - a broad, multidisciplinary field that ...addresses both symbolic and material relationships between humans and other animals (e.g. DeMello, 2012; Taylor, 2013). Acknowledging the need to incorporate other species has proven difficult for sociology, whose disciplinary boundaries were historically constituted around the designation of an arena - 'the social' - which was defined as exclusively human. These difficulties notwithstanding, sociologists have contributed significantly to the 'animal turn' in academia (Franklin in Armstrong and Simmons, 2007: 1). And while sociology has historically situated itself firmly within a human-specific understanding of the social world, there has been a burgeoning of multi-species scholarship (see for example, Arluke and Sanders, 1996; Cudworth, 2011; Irvine, 2004; Nibert, 2003; Peggs, 2013; Taylor and Twine, 2014). This special section affords a timely snapshot of how sociologists are engaging with and responding to this 'animal turn'. In particular, it foregrounds how multi-species perspectives can open up new and critical vistas on long-held disciplinary assumptions and concepts. In this sense, sociology can also benefit from the multi-species turn as a way of developing less human-centric understandings of social lives.
