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What is animal politics? Outline of a new research agenda
Politische Theorie des Mensch-Tier-Verhältnisses: Umrisse eines neuen Forschungsprogramms
[journal article]
Abstract Animal Politics, i.e. the study of human-animal relations in Political Theory, is a relative newcomer to the portfolio of Animal Studies. While other academic disciplines, from Cultural Studies and Moral Philosophy to History, Sociology and Law, have all established highly visible branches of Animal... view more
Animal Politics, i.e. the study of human-animal relations in Political Theory, is a relative newcomer to the portfolio of Animal Studies. While other academic disciplines, from Cultural Studies and Moral Philosophy to History, Sociology and Law, have all established highly visible branches of Animal Studies in recent decades, Political Theory has struggled to carve out a distinctive approach. In this contribution, we identify five features highlighting the fact that human-animal relations are conceived from within Political Theory, distinguishing Animal Politics from Animal Ethics and Animal Rights. Animal Politics is concerned with the political subjection of humans and animals (1) and with the existence, nature and justification of animals’ coercive claims (2). It discusses the political inclusion of animals in human polities and the claims of "sovereign" animal collectives (3). Animal Politics develops normative designs with a view to their practical, non-ideal realisation (4), and, finally, reflects its own status as a body of discourse within democratic societies (5). In the final part of the contribution, we present the contributions to this HSR Forum.... view less
Keywords
natural law; animal protection; natural philosophy; politics; ethics; law; human being; animal
Classification
Basic Research, General Concepts and History of Political Science
Philosophy, Ethics, Religion
Free Keywords
Zoopolis; human-animal relations
Document language
English
Publication Year
2015
Page/Pages
p. 7-31
Journal
Historical Social Research, 40 (2015) 4
Issue topic
Animal politics: a new research agenda in political theory
ISSN
0172-6404
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed