Introductory description

In an age of mass extinction, the meanings of human being and the uses of technology seem drawn into a circle bounded by the question of the animal. Through philosophical, artistic, literary, cultural, religious, and scientific studies, this course focuses on the trouble animals bring to human self-understanding. The investigation proceeds both as an inquiry from within the Western tradition, which locates humanity in an expulsion of the animal, and as an examination of traditions in which the differences between humans and animals are more varied and integrated.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

1. TALKING ANIMALS; CHILDHOOD, SEXUALITY, MONSTERS; ANIMALS AND DEATH
   Brothers Grimm, “Little Red Riding Hood” (versions); Claude Levi-Strauss, “The Totemic Illusion”; Philippe Descola on animism (diagram from Beyond Nature and Culture); Andrew Peynetsa, “The Boy and the Deer” (as translated by Dennis Tedlock).

2. MEAT OR EATING SOULS; RELIGION, ANIMAL LETTERS
   Plutarch, “The Eating of Flesh”; Eric Rohmer, Summer (clip, in class); Claude Levi-Strauss on the “raw and the cooked”; Carol J. Adams, “The Sexual Politics of Meat”; Michael Pollan, “The Ethics of Eating Animals,” from The Omnivore’s Dilemma; David Abram, “Animism and the Alphabet” (excerpts, pp. 123-135 of The Spell of the Sensuous); Viveiros de Castro, “Cosmological Diexis and Amerindian perspectivism” (excerpt).

3. PREHISTORY, AESTHETICS, ANIMAL ART
   Clayton Eshleman, Juniper Fuse (selections); Paul Shepard on ritual use of “the others”; animal poetry (Ted Hughes, “The Thought Fox”); Steve Baker on the postmodern animal

4. THE ENLIGHTENMENT HUMANIMAL
   J.M. Coetzee, Disgrace; Jacques Derrida, “The Animal That Therefore I Am (More to Follow)”

5. BECOMING ANIMAL
   Deleuze and Guattari, “Becoming-Animal”; Franz Kafka, “The Metamorphosis” (excerpts); Julio Cortazar, “Axolotl”; Darwin on sexual selection (excerpts); Alphonso Lingis, "Animasl Body, Inhuman Face"; Marcus Coates, selected works.

6. PERFORMING ANIMALS, ANIMAL SPECTACLES
   Vicki Hearne, Adam's Task (selections); John Berger, “Why Look at Animals?”; Werner Herzog/ Timothy Treadwell, Grizzly Man

7. ANIMAL SUBJECTS, ANIMAL RIGHTS
   J.M. Coetzee, The Lives of Animals; Jeremy Bentham, “Principles of Morals and Legislation” (pp. 8-9 The Animals Reader); Peter Singer, “Animal Liberation or Animal Rights?” (pp. 14-22 The Animals Reader); Tom Regan, “The Rights of Humans and Other Animals” (pp. 23-29 The Animals Reader)

8. SCIENTIFIC ANIMALS, COMPANION ANIMALS
   Lynda Birke, "Into the Laboratory"; Donna Haraway, The Companion Species Manifesto; Jacob von Uexküll, A Foray into the Worlds of Animals and Men (excerpts); Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (excerpts);

9. ANIMISM, OTHER TRADITIONS, POSTCOLONIAL ANIMALS
   Mudrooroo, Master of the Ghost Dreaming; Philippe Descola, Beyond Nature and Culture (excerpts); Montaigne, "An Apology for Raymond Sebond"; Bhanu Kapil, Humanimal (excerpts).

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the history of cultural human-animal relations.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of some of the posthumanist theory connected with animal studies.
• Demonstrate developed oral and written communication skills focused on complex theoretical material.
• Demonstrate critical thinking and an ability to analyze literary and cultural texts to uncover theoretical (philosophical, anthropological, aesthetic, ethical, scientific) contexts, and to synthesize ideas across a range of media and disciplines.
• Demonstrate independent research skills and ability to conduct “serious play” with module materials.

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Subject specific skills

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the history of cultural human-animal relations.

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of some of the posthumanist theory connected with animal studies.

Transferable skills

Demonstrate developed oral and written communication skills focused on complex theoretical material.

Demonstrate critical thinking and an ability to analyze literary and cultural texts to uncover theoretical (philosophical, anthropological, aesthetic, ethical, scientific) contexts, and to synthesize ideas across a range of media and disciplines.

Demonstrate independent research skills and ability to conduct “serious play” with module materials.