Defining Critical Animal Studies: An Intersectional Social Justice Approach for Liberation

by Anthony J. Nocella II (Editor), John Sorenson (Editor), Kim Socha (Editor)

This is the first book to define the philosophical and practical parameters of critical animal studies (CAS). Rooted in anarchist perspectives that oppose all systems of domination and authoritarianism, CAS both challenges anthropocentrism and presents animal liberation as a social justice movement that intersects with other movements for positive change. Written by a collection of internationally respected scholar-activists, each chapter expands upon the theory and practice underlying the total liberation approach, the roles of academics and activists, and the ten principles of CAS. With apolitical animal studies and exploitative animal research dominating higher education, this book offers a timely counter-narrative that demands the liberation of all oppressed beings and the environment. Defining Critical Animal Studies will interest educators, students, activists, community members, and policy makers seeking accessible theory that can be put into action.

Genres: Vegan, Research, Philosophy, Nonfiction

241 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2013

About the author

Anthony J. Nocella II, Ph.D., award-winning author, community organizer, and educator is a Visiting Professor in the School of Education at Hamline University and Senior Fellow of the Dispute Resolution Institute at the Hamline Law School. Nocella is a scholar-activist grounded in the field of education and peace and conflict studies. He is internationally known for his innovative, transformative, and intersectional collaborations among fields of study, social movements, scholars, communities, and activists.

Dr. Nocella has published more than fifty scholarly articles or book chapters, co-founded more than ten active political organizations and serves on four boards. He has founded three book series and co-founded three journals - Green Theory and Praxis, Peace Studies Journal, and Journal of Critical Animal Studies, is on the editorial board of three other journals, and has published more than fifteen books.

Dr. Nocella has guest lectured, provided professional development trainings, and facilitated youth workshops to hundreds of school districts, universities, colleges, high schools, middle schools and many prisons and detention facilities around the Americas, such as Onondaga County School District, St. Cloud School District, Hillbrook Youth Detention Facility, Auburn Prison, Environmental Protection Agency, Brock University, UCLA, Hofstra University, New York University Law School, Rutgers University Law School, Boston College, University of Pennsylvania, Haverford College, Swarthmore College, University of Texas, Yale University, and Princeton University.

Areas of Expertise: social justice education, school to prison pipeline, urban education, cultural relevant pedagogy, critical pedagogy, disability studies/pedagogy, environmental education/justice, ecopedagogy, youth culture, transformative justice, hip hop studies, gender and sexuality studies, critical animal studies, eco-ability, justice studies, and peace and conflict studies.

Reviews

[Mo Constantine · Rating 3 out of 5]

50 pages read. Good introduction to CAS, I'm sure I would think this book deserved 5 stars if I weren't a student at Brock and didn't know one of the editors (John Sorenson). The intro he helped write talks about a lot of great things that apparently define CAS -- commitment to activism (not just theory); grounded in anti-racism, decolonization, feminism, etc.; takes a total liberation approach -- but then also goes onto talk about the only CAS program that exists, which is the one I'm in at Brock, and how it was cofounded by Niagara Action for Animals, which is a terrible organization that every year protests the Indigenous hunt. This year, like other years, they used social media to call the Haudenosaunee people savages, drunks, entitled, and advocated for them to be "harvested" and shot. John still works closely with NAfA and also protests the Indigenous hunt, so how CAS can be rooted in anti-racism and decolonialism if its only academic program was co-founded and is still chaired by John and NAfA beats me. Knowing this made me skeptical of all of their other claims, and I felt it was obvious that the book was edited by primarily white academics