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Some we love, some we eat: Human-animal relationships in the global marketplace

CCGL9052

KK201

14:30 - 16:20

Wednesday

2nd semester

Lecture venue
Lecture time
Offer semester
  • Animals are everywhere and nowhere in modern societies. Except for the pets and animals in zoos, most animals are segregated from human’s everyday lives. Yet we eat them, wear them and consume them on a daily basis. In a globalising world, our diverse relationships with animals stimulate questions on compassion, economics, urbanisation, transnational mobility, global ethics and citizenship.


    The promotion of animal rights and ending animal cruelty is often regarded as one key mission for the 21st century global citizens and has become a global social movement. There is now an increasing awareness of the global economy of animal trading and entertainment industry, rethinking the sociological, anthropological and scientific distinctions of human and non-human animals, and also of the new patterns of human-animal co-existence in urban cities. This course aims at stimulating students’ critical reflections upon different social constructions and moral implications of our relationships with the non-human creatures across cultures and societies in the global marketplace.


    Study Load

    Activities

    Number of hours

    Lectures

    22

    Tutorials

    10

    Fieldwork / Visits

    4

    Reading / Self-study

    30

    Assessment: Essay / Report writing

    20

    Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation)

    20

    Assessment: Group project

    30

    Total:

    136


  • On completing the course, students should be able to:

    1. Describe and explain human-animal relations in modern societies from historical, anthropological, sociological, philosophical and economic perspectives.

    2. Reflect on their daily interactions with animals and animal products in relations to the global economic development.

    3. Understand the importance of human decision and habits in affecting the lives and welfare of animals.

    4. Be aware of the global development of animal rights movement and the relevance to global citizens.



  • Tasks

    Weighting

    In-class (lecture) activity participation

    10%

    Tutorial participation and discussion

    15%

    Field trip report

    20%

    Reflective essay

    20%

    Group project

    35%


  • DeMello, M. 2021. Animals and Society: An Introduction to Human-Animal Studies (2/e). New York: Columbia University Press.


    Herzog, H. 2010. Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight about Animals. New York: Harper.

Course co-ordinator and teachers
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