Animals and Society Specialization

Animals matter for human existence in so many ways that it is difficult to imagine the entity we call “society” without them. They figure heavily in our language, food, clothing, family structure, economy, education, entertainment, science, recreation, and other areas of social life. In this specialization, we will investigate a range of topics, many of them controversial. Although this is a sociology course, the field of human-animal studies is interdisciplinary. Many of the suggested readings come from fields outside of sociology, but this specialization emphasizes their sociological relevance throughout each course.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
- Account for the shifting roles and statuses of animals in society and their social, cultural, and ethical consequences
- Use key perspectives and concepts in the field of human/animal studies to explain the status of animals in contemporary society
- Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of considering animals in analyses of social issues
- Analyze the socially constructed boundaries drawn between humans and animals and review their consequences