Animals and the Politics of Suffering : Essays on Law, Care and Interspecies Relations
(2023)- Abstract
- This compilation thesis aims to develop an understanding of the ethical, legal and political implications associated with different strategies to address the suffering of animals caused by industrialised agriculture. Based on qualitative analysis conducted in Denmark, the research explores how ethical commitment to the situation of farmed animals is negotiated across different domains. The thesis is shaped by socio-legal research combined with cross-disciplinary social analysis of human-animal relations and interspecies politics. Based on three analytical themes – invisible animals, witnessing suffering and care as an ethical obligation – the research analyses competing strategies to address the suffering of nonhuman animals.... (More)
- This compilation thesis aims to develop an understanding of the ethical, legal and political implications associated with different strategies to address the suffering of animals caused by industrialised agriculture. Based on qualitative analysis conducted in Denmark, the research explores how ethical commitment to the situation of farmed animals is negotiated across different domains. The thesis is shaped by socio-legal research combined with cross-disciplinary social analysis of human-animal relations and interspecies politics. Based on three analytical themes – invisible animals, witnessing suffering and care as an ethical obligation – the research analyses competing strategies to address the suffering of nonhuman animals.
Paper I outlines the potential of socio-legal scholarship in developing new perspectives on anthropocentrism in law by creating a bridge between recent developments in ‘more-than-human’ scholarship and the field of animal law. Moreover, the paper suggests how the empirical tradition in the sociology of law can bring the study of law closer to a multispecies account of the world.
Paper II focuses on recent regulatory schemes imposed on Danish farmers to improve animal welfare. Based on interviews with Danish animal welfare inspectors and inspection reports, the paper analyses how responses to suffering are negotiated at the intersection of law and bureaucratic procedures.
Paper III examines a Danish case of a recent trend towards New Carnivorism and DIY slaughter against the backdrop of the growing discomfort with the killing of nonhuman animals. Drawing on Carol Adam’s concept of the absent referent, the paper calls for a more nuanced understanding of how the visibility and invisibility of animals play out in the promotion of responsible meat eating.
Finally, Paper IV focuses on the embodied practices of providing sanctuary for previously farmed animals. Drawing on María Puig de la Bellacasa’s concept of ethical doings, the paper explores the challenges confronting the sanctuaries and their aspiration for multispecies flourishing.
Each of the empirical studies that comprise the thesis foregrounds different aspects of the politics of suffering that characterise the main responses to the situation of animals reared for the purpose of industrialised food production. Finally, the thesis contributes to conversations about overcoming the current impasse by emphasising the need to develop alternative ideas about interspecies relations of care.
(Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Syftet med denna sammanläggningsavhandling är att belysa de etiska, juridiska och politiska konsekvenserna av olika försök att hantera lidande hos djur orsakat av industriell djurproduktion. På basis av kvalitativa studier utförda i Danmark undersöker avhandlingen hur skötseln av lantbruksdjur förhandlas inom olika sociala domäner. För detta ändamål använder avhandlingen rättssociologiska och tvärvetenskaplig forskning om människa-djur relationer och interspecies politics. Utifrån tre teman – synlighet/osynlighet, bevittnande och omsorg som etisk skyldighet – analyseras olika strategier för att hantera lidandet hos icke-mänskliga djur.
Artikel I beskriver den rättssociologiska forskningens bidrag till studiet av rättens... (More) - Syftet med denna sammanläggningsavhandling är att belysa de etiska, juridiska och politiska konsekvenserna av olika försök att hantera lidande hos djur orsakat av industriell djurproduktion. På basis av kvalitativa studier utförda i Danmark undersöker avhandlingen hur skötseln av lantbruksdjur förhandlas inom olika sociala domäner. För detta ändamål använder avhandlingen rättssociologiska och tvärvetenskaplig forskning om människa-djur relationer och interspecies politics. Utifrån tre teman – synlighet/osynlighet, bevittnande och omsorg som etisk skyldighet – analyseras olika strategier för att hantera lidandet hos icke-mänskliga djur.
Artikel I beskriver den rättssociologiska forskningens bidrag till studiet av rättens antropocentrism genom att förena den senaste utvecklingen inom ’mer-än-mänskliga’ forskning med djurrätt (animal law). Vidare presenteras hur den empiriska traditionen inom rättssociologin kan föra studiet av rätt närmare en multispecies förståelse av världen.
Artikel II tar upp regleringen av danskt jordbruk i syfte att förbättra djurskydd. Utifrån intervjuer med danska djurskyddsinspektörer och inspektionsrapporter analyseras hur hanteringen av lidande hos lantbruksdjur förhandlas i gränslandet mellan rättsregler och byråkratiska förfaranden.
Artikel III undersöker de senaste trenderna som New Carnivorism och gör-det-själv (DIY) slakt i en dansk kontext mot bakgrund av ett växande obehag i samhället med att döda djur. Baserat på Carol Adams koncept om den frånvarande referenten bidrar artikeln med en mer nyanserad förståelse för hur djurens synlighet och osynlighet spelar ut i främjandet av ’ansvarsfullt’ köttätande.
Artikel IV undersöker den förkroppsligade praxis som är förknippad med att skapa en fristad (sanctuary) för tidigare lantbruksdjur. Med utgångspunkt i María Puig de la Bellacasas koncept om ethical doings utforskar artikeln fristädernas utmaningar och ambitioner att skapa goda levnadsvillkor för alla djur.
Sammantaget analyserar avhandlingens empiriska studier olika aspekter av lidandets politik som kännetecknar de vanliga sätten man söker hantera situationen för lantbruksdjur inom industrialiserad livsmedelsproduktion. Slutligen bidrar avhandlingen till diskussionen om att övervinna nuvarande läge genom att betona behovet av att utveckla alternativa idéer om omsorg mellan arter.
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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/29a3ba9d-a71a-46b3-900d-7026347c19a8
- author
- Leth-Espensen, Marie LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Docent Redmalm, David, Mälardalens universitet
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- animal suffering, industrialised animal production, care, anthropocentrism, visibility, witnessing, ethical obligation, Critical Animal Studies, socio-legal research, Denmark
- pages
- 70 pages
- publisher
- Lunds universitet, Media-Tryck
- defense location
- Sh128, Allhelgona Kyrkogata 8, Lund
- defense date
- 2023-06-09 14:00:00
- ISBN
- 978-91-8039-683-7
- 978-91-8039-684-4
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 29a3ba9d-a71a-46b3-900d-7026347c19a8
- date added to LUP
- 2023-05-12 10:26:27
- date last changed
- 2023-07-11 13:45:42
@phdthesis{29a3ba9d-a71a-46b3-900d-7026347c19a8,
abstract = {{This compilation thesis aims to develop an understanding of the ethical, legal and political implications associated with different strategies to address the suffering of animals caused by industrialised agriculture. Based on qualitative analysis conducted in Denmark, the research explores how ethical commitment to the situation of farmed animals is negotiated across different domains. The thesis is shaped by socio-legal research combined with cross-disciplinary social analysis of human-animal relations and interspecies politics. Based on three analytical themes – invisible animals, witnessing suffering and care as an ethical obligation – the research analyses competing strategies to address the suffering of nonhuman animals. <br/><br/>Paper I outlines the potential of socio-legal scholarship in developing new perspectives on anthropocentrism in law by creating a bridge between recent developments in ‘more-than-human’ scholarship and the field of animal law. Moreover, the paper suggests how the empirical tradition in the sociology of law can bring the study of law closer to a multispecies account of the world. <br/><br/>Paper II focuses on recent regulatory schemes imposed on Danish farmers to improve animal welfare. Based on interviews with Danish animal welfare inspectors and inspection reports, the paper analyses how responses to suffering are negotiated at the intersection of law and bureaucratic procedures. <br/><br/>Paper III examines a Danish case of a recent trend towards New Carnivorism and DIY slaughter against the backdrop of the growing discomfort with the killing of nonhuman animals. Drawing on Carol Adam’s concept of the absent referent, the paper calls for a more nuanced understanding of how the visibility and invisibility of animals play out in the promotion of responsible meat eating. <br/><br/>Finally, Paper IV focuses on the embodied practices of providing sanctuary for previously farmed animals. Drawing on María Puig de la Bellacasa’s concept of ethical doings, the paper explores the challenges confronting the sanctuaries and their aspiration for multispecies flourishing. <br/><br/>Each of the empirical studies that comprise the thesis foregrounds different aspects of the politics of suffering that characterise the main responses to the situation of animals reared for the purpose of industrialised food production. Finally, the thesis contributes to conversations about overcoming the current impasse by emphasising the need to develop alternative ideas about interspecies relations of care.<br/>}},
author = {{Leth-Espensen, Marie}},
isbn = {{978-91-8039-683-7}},
keywords = {{animal suffering; industrialised animal production; care; anthropocentrism; visibility; witnessing; ethical obligation; Critical Animal Studies; socio-legal research; Denmark}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Lunds universitet, Media-Tryck}},
school = {{Lund University}},
title = {{Animals and the Politics of Suffering : Essays on Law, Care and Interspecies Relations}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/146374393/e_spik_ex_Marie.pdf}},
year = {{2023}},
}