Animals & Society

Catalog description

This course considers the relationships between animals and human societies since prehistoric times. We will begin with a discussion of hunting, the domestication of animals, and representations of animals in early human history. We will then go on to examine the roles of animals in food, culture, agriculture, and commerce in traditional societies. Specific examples may include food taboos in major religions, horses in Eurasia and the New World, and other comparative cases. The last part of the course will deal with the modern era. Topics may include the development of modern sensibilities toward animals; the impact of evolutionary theory on modern perceptions of animals (e.g. rethinking human/animal boundaries); representations of animals in popular culture; animals as pets; zoos, museums, sea worlds, and other institutions for displaying animals; wildlife preservation movements; and animal protection movements (including animal ethics).