Sex, Race, and Species: Critical Animal Studies

Catalog description

This course examines how human ideologies of racism, heterosexism, ableism, and colonialism have shaped scientific knowledge about nonhuman animals. Students explore how scientific conclusions (or assumptions) regarding animal behavior have been used to justify the exploitation of animals, and, in turn, rationalize multiple forms of oppression within human societies. Students learn to question how scientists project their idealized societies onto animal behavior, whether intentionally or not, and imagine and explore scientific alternatives that better allow animals to "speak" for themselves, simultaneously improving human knowledge of biology and bettering human/animal relations. Prerequisite: RGS 100 or RGS 205 or junior standing. Offered Occasionally.