2014/01/01 by Kurtis Boyer · 1 citation
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Human-Animal Interaction Studies #Animal and Plant Science Education #Geographies of human-animal interactions
paper · doi:10.1007/978-1-349-68308-6_9
openalex publication_date 2014/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
The ability for humans to develop empathic bonds with animals is demonstrated in a plethora of ways as we go about trying to represent and protect their interests. These emotional commitments to animals can be transposed onto politics at two different levels: at the individual level, which is best represented by discourses on welfare and animal rights — where the discussion revolves around the states of wellbeing of individual animals; and at the species level, which operates via a focus on the wellbeing of whole populations. While there are some similarities between the two types of advocacy, they differ greatly in how they are able to transpose into politics, our desire to care, save, protect or otherwise act on behalf of animal interests.