More-than-human America: Human-Animal Relationships in the U.S. 4219-SH0041
To contemplate the significance of other animals’ ubiquitous presence in U.S. society, this course dedicates each class to examining various types of encounters between human and nonhuman animals, including companionship, slaughter, conservation, and experimentation. The course does not confine itself to the contemporary state of animal politics but extends its scope to historical contexts that have shaped human-animal relationships in the United States, such as domestication, Indigenous practices, and ranching, as well as the interconnected dynamics of speciesism and racism. By investigating how these systems of oppression have historically reinforced each other, the course highlights the ways in which human-animal relationships intersect with broader structures of power and inequality. This approach enables students to critically analyze the cultural, economic, and political forces that continue to shape the treatment and perception of human and nonhuman animals in U.S. society.
In-class discussions draw on a diverse array of fiction, nonfiction, and visual media, offering students multiple entry points for engaging with these topics. For example, Bong Joon-ho’s "Okja" (2017), a science fiction satire of the food industry, prompts analysis of the role of nonhuman animals within the exploitative mechanisms of late capitalism. Indigenous narratives provide an opportunity to challenge anthropocentric perspectives and destabilize contemporary constructions of animals as resources, particularly in the context of colonial histories. Jordan Peele’s "Nope" (2022), a science fiction Western, raises critical questions about the (ab)use of nonhuman animals in film production and their commodification within the entertainment industry. Similarly, Daniel Keyes’s short story "Flowers for Algernon" (1959) allows for a nuanced exploration of the liminal spaces occupied by humans and nonhumans in laboratory settings, inviting students to consider the ethical dilemmas inherent in scientific experimentation.
These primary texts are paired with secondary readings that deepen theoretical and historical engagement with the subject matter. These include Charles Patterson’s "Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust" (2002), which offers a framework for examining the structural and ideological links between violence against nonhumans and humans, or Michelle K. Berry’s "Cow Talk: Work, Ecology, and Range Cattle Ranchers in the Postwar Mountain West" (2023), which provides insight into how ranching practices intersect with cultural identity, environmental change, and labor. These and other readings expand the scope of inquiry, equipping students with the critical tools necessary to interrogate the cultural, ethical, and political dimensions of human-animal relationships in the United States.
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Upon completing this course students:
KNOWLEDGE:
• Have broadened their knowledge of the history and current dynamics of human-animal relationships in the United States.
• Understand the roles of economic, cultural, legal, and social structures in shaping human-animal interactions.
• Are aware of the debates and discourses surrounding human-animal relationships in various sectors, such as food production, research, entertainment, and conservation.
SKILLS:
• Can analyze representations of human-animal relationships in literature, film, and other media within historical, cultural, and social contexts.
• Can apply interdisciplinary approaches from fields such as animal studies, cultural studies, and environmental humanities to critically engage with human-animal interactions.
• Can identify and describe key concepts, frameworks, and issues related to human-animal relationships, including those associated with the animal-industrial complex and interspecies interdependence.
COMPETENCES:
• Are able to work collaboratively in academic settings, including group discussions and shared projects, to explore and articulate diverse perspectives on human-animal relationships.
• Understand the ways cultural and institutional practices influence perceptions and representations of animals.
• Can identify and articulate challenges, debates, and complexities involved in human-animal interactions, particularly in the context of broader social, cultural, and political dynamics in the United States.
Assessment criteria
Grade components:
1) Active class participation – 25%
2) In-semester activity – 25%
3) Research project – 50%
Final grade:
• over 90% – 5 (97-100% - 5!)
• 84-89% – 4,5
• 76-83% – 4
• 68-75% – 3,5
• 60-67% – 3
Bibliography
Selected bibliography:
Berry, Michelle K. "Cow Talk: Work, Ecology, and Range Cattle Ranchers in the Postwar Mountain West." Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2023.
Bruchac, Joseph. "Native American Animal Stories." Golden, CO: Fulcrum Publishing, 1992.
Cowperthwaite, Gabriela, director. "Blackfish." Magnolia Pictures and CNN Films, 2013.
DeMello, Margo. "Animals and Society: An Introduction to Human-Animal Studies." New York: Columbia University Press, 2021.
Heister, Anja. "Beyond the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation: From Lethal to Compassionate Conservation." Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022.
Keyes, Daniel. "Flowers for Algernon." 1959.
Kossakovsky, Viktor, director. "Gunda." Neon, 2020.
Knight, Andrew, Clive Phillips, and Paula Sparks, eds. "The Routledge Companion to Animal Welfare." London: Routledge, 2023.
Malamud, Randy. "Reading Zoos: Representing Animals in Captivity." London: Macmillan Press, 1998.
Pachirat, Timothy. "Every Twelve Seconds." New Haven: Yale University Press, 2011.
Patterson, Charles. "Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust." New York: Lantern Books, 2002.
Peele, Jordan, director. "Nope." Universal Pictures, 2022.
Schultz-Figueroa, B. "The Celluloid Specimen: Moving Image Research into Animal Life." Oakland: University of California Press, 2023.
Sinclair, Upton. "The Jungle." 1906.
Readings might be changed at a later date.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: