The Animals Reader: The Essential Classic and Contemporary Writings

The Animals Reader brings together classic and contemporary writings from philosophy, ethics, sociology, cultural studies, anthropology, environmental studies, history, law and science. Providing readers with both an understanding of the multidisciplinary field of animal studies and a clear sense of how the role of animals in human society has been understood and critiqued through time, this second edition has been expanded to reflect key developments in theory and research that have emerged in recent years.

Forty-two chapters are divided into six parts. Favourite entries from the first edition have been retained, and are joined by sixteen new readings covering topics such as equality, animal rights and citizenship, zoos, death and killing, and embodied communication and empathy.

The second edition begins with a new prologue by acclaimed wildlife photographer and photojournalist Britta Jaschinski. Updated pedagogical features include a new general introduction by the editors, revised introductions to each part and each reading, as well as new suggestions for further reading at the end of each section.

As such, The Animals Reader is an invaluable collection for students across the humanities and social sciences, and is also suitable for general readers with an interest in human-animal relations.

Linda Kalof is Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of the graduate certification in Animal Studies at Michigan State University, USA. Her research focuses on the cultural history of animal iconography. She has published twelve books and edits The Animal Turn book series at MSU Press.

Amy Fitzgerald is Professor of Criminology in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor, Canada. She has authored several articles and books examining the intersection of harms perpetrated against people, animals and the environment.