Sociology of human-animal relations 3700-KON3-AZ
For thousands of years animals have been an integral part of the human social world, fulfilling the roles of assistants, co-workers, food suppliers, religious symbols as well as unwitting social status symbols for humans who, depending on the relationship, called themselves “masters”, “owners” or “guardians”.
The social world of humans and human culture are concerned with animals so often that one could even say they couldn’t exist without animals. Despite this, it wasn’t until recently that the social sciences took any greater interest in the presence of animals in human lives. The present course sheds light on elements of the latest achievements of sociology, and to a lesser extent also ethnology, cultural anthropology and psychology, concerning human-animal relations.
Topics discussed during the semester will include: (1) social practices related to animals in the past and today (e.g. hunting, farming, feeding, training, ceremonial burial, abandoning, violence towards animals), (2) the significance of animals as symbols, (3) roles fulfilled by animals in social life and culture, (4) theoretical foundations of human-animal relations, (5) the phenomenon of social construction of animals, as well as (6) the unique status of companion animals in contemporary Western societies and its consequences. Most of the issues discussed have a practical aspect and relate to the surrounding reality.
The course is in the form of a seminar with elements of a lecture. Students will read source materials selected by the teacher on their own, and these will then be discussed in class. Students are scored for active and critical participation in discussions as part of their course credit, the final element being a written test with open-ended questions.
1. What is sociology and what is it concerned with? Introduction. The place of animals in sociology in the past and today.
2. The theoretical foundations of human-animal relations: attachment theory, social support theory, Edward O. Wilson’s biophilia hypothesis.
3. The social construction of animals. Classification and naming of animals versus the attitude towards them. The uniqueness of the status of companion animals. Paradoxes in human conduct towards animals.
4. Animals as symbols. Non-humans in religion, tradition and folklore.
5. Obtaining meat in the past and today. The cultural context of hunting.
6. From master to guardian, from property to family member (1/2): humans’ changing attitudes towards companion animals on the example of Poland after the political transformation of 1989.
7. From master to guardian, from property to family member (2/2): animals as property and as a subject of guardianship on the example of the discourse on dog training.
8. The death of an animal as the experience of loss, burial as testimony of a bond. The sociological and psychological context of the functioning of pet cemeteries in Poland and the world.
9. Violence towards animals. Crimes and misdemeanours against animals and their prosecution in Poland.
10. Animal wellbeing from a social and legal perspective. Animal wellbeing and human wellbeing as communicating vessels. The social consequences of industrial livestock production.
11. Animal hoarding.
12. The phenomenon of The Link (the link between animal abuse and family violence). Characteristics and social consequences.
13. Animals in entertainment.
14. Animals as co-workers of humans. The uniformed services, animal-assisted therapy.
Note: The topics covered during the course may change slightly depending on the students’ interests, discussions in class (and their length) etc.
Type of course
Learning outcomes
In terms of knowledge, students will:
KW_04
Understand the rules of functioning of the main social institutions – political, economic, cultural – that deal with animals
KW_05
Understand the role of law, customs and morality as regulators of relations between humans and animals
KW_06
Understand the role of the media in shaping attitudes towards animals
KW_07
Be familiar with ethical and cultural attitudes towards animals in the history of civilization, with a special focus on changes occurring in contemporary times
KW_08
Understand the legal, social and political determinants of relations between humans and animals
KW_09
Be aware of the effects of decisions, especially those that interfere with the natural environment and the wellbeing of animals
KW_10
Know the basic terminology and methodology of the social sciences
In terms of skills, students will:
KU_01
Be able to analyse the main phenomena of human-animal relations from a sociological perspective
KU_02
Diagnose the main ideological disputes surrounding the status of animals and their utilization by humans throughout history
KU_03
Be able to interpret academic texts on human-animal relations
KU_05
Be able to notice and analyse cultural processes and phenomena concerning animals in a social context
In terms of social competences, students will:
KK_01
Follow, critically analyse and shape attitudes towards animals
KK_02
Be able to offer fact-based arguments in academic debates and ideological disputes while respecting views different from their own
KK_03
Be able to correctly interpret and propagate human responsibility towards animals and the environment they live in
KK_04
Understand the need to continually expand their knowledge and improve their skills
KK_06
Be able to use their acquired knowledge and skills in their professional work (individual and collective) as well as public activity
Assessment criteria
Pass with grade. Points and grades are as follows:
2.0 (fail) 0-24 points (0%-49% of total points possible)
3.0 25-29 points (50%-59%)
3.5 30-32.5 points (60%-65%)
4.0 33-38 points (66%-75%)
4.5 37-40 points (76%-80%)
5.0 41-50 points (81%-100%)
Bibliography
1. Baratay, E. (2014). Zwierzęcy punkt widzenia. Inna wersja historii. Gdańsk: wyd. W podwórku.
2. Biuro Ochrony Zwierząt Fundacji dla zwierząt ARGOS (2016). Raport o problemie bezdomnych zwierząt,
http://www.boz.org.pl/raport/2016.pdf
3. DeMello, M. (2012). Animals and Society. An Introduction to Human-Animal Studies. Nowy Jork: Columbia University Press.
4. Finelli, M., Mason, J. (2011). Nowa, wspaniała ferma? [w:] P. Singer (red.) (2011). W obronie zwierząt. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Czarna Owca, s. 152-179.
5. Flynn, C. (red.) (2008). Social Creatures: A Humand and Animal Studies Readers. Nowy Jork: Lantern Books.
6. Fundacja Czarna Owca Pana Kota i Stowarzyszenie Ochrony Zwierząt Ekostraż (2016). Jak Polacy znęcają się nad zwierzętami? Raport z monitoringu sądów, prokuratur i policji, http://czarnaowca.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/CzarnaOwca-NMP-RAPORT-1.pdf
7. Gardocka, T., Gruszczyńska, A. (red.) (2012), Status zwierzęcia. Zagadnienia filozoficzne i prawne. Toruń: Adam Marszałek.
8. Pręgowski, M.P., Włodarczyk, J. (red.) (2014). Pies też człowiek? Relacje psów i ludzi we współczesnej Polsce. Gdańsk: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Katedra.
9. Pręgowski, M.P. (2013). Moralne mechanizmy obronne a efekt Lucyfera. Przypadek relacji człowiek-zwierzęta. [w:] A. Drabarek, Z. Król (red.), Efekt Lucyfera w perspektywie naukowej. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Akademii Obrony Narodowej, s. 279-290.
10. Serpell, J. (1999). W towarzystwie zwierząt. Warszawa: Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: