Animal/Human Studies Group (AHSG)
Background
The study of animal-human relations within the social sciences
is an increasingly important, vibrant and burgeoning field. The
formation of the BSA Animal/Human Studies Group in June 2006 is
therefore an important step towards addressing what Bryant (1979)
has called the 'zoological connection', whereby sociologists need
to recognise that people co-exist and interact not only
with humans but with non-human animals too. For example,
animals are increasingly utilised and involved in biotechnology and
genomics; animal experimentation; the production and
slaughter of food animals; companion animal-human type
relationships and the therapeutic use of animals. Moreover,
additional animal-related issues that have attracted attention by
researchers are: the potential links between animal abuse and
domestic violence; the nature of animal-animal interaction;
potential links between women, nature and animals; bestiality;
human-wildlife interactions; and human responses to companion
animal death/euthanasia. Sociologists have much to offer this
emerging area of study and are well placed to engage with the
multifaceted, ambiguous and challenging nature of the animal-human
interface in everyday life.
The BSA Animal/Human Studies Group will enable both current and
future sociologists to put non-human animals on to the specialist
and mainstream sociological research agenda, thus ensuring that
animal-human studies becomes a viable and significant area of
sociological study.
References
Aims and Objectives
- To develop a sociological forum whereby animals and their
relations with humans can be studied from a variety of sociological
(and cognate) viewpoints, and to provide a specialist research
forum for academics, researchers and students who share a
professional interest in incorporating non-human animals into the
discipline of sociology.
- To create a research database of animal-related research
projects (including PhDs) carried out by sociologists initially in
the UK. If you know of any such work please contact Rebecca Tipper who will be
overseeing this particular project.
- To identify gaps in the emerging animal-human studies research
agenda.
- To create opportunities for networking and research
collaboration with colleagues from other social science
disciplines (such as anthropology, cultural studies, gender
studies, geographers, historians, law, philosophy, and psychology)
who are interested in and actively researching animal-human related
issues.
News
The AHSG is delighted to announce the launch of its new
website: www.ahsg.co.uk. The new
website is an excellent research resource/database and is
accessible by all BSA members (please contact Rebecca Tipperfor a guest
password if you are not already a member of the AHSG). Going
forward, all BSA AHSG members will be allocated their password when
they join the group.
Forthcoming Events
Please watch this space for forthcoming activities.
Past Events
13 May 2010
BSA Animal/Human Study Group's First Meeting of Postgraduate
Members
BSA Meeting Room, London, UK
28 November 2007
'Taking Stock' of Animals in the Social Sciences: A Geographical
and Sociological Exchange
A joint meeting of the BSA Animal/Human Studies Group and the
Royal Geographical Society-Institute of British Geographers Rural
Geography Research Groupco-hosted by: Institute for Science and
Society (University of Nottingham)
Inaugural Meeting of the BSA Animal/Human Studies Group
(AHSG)
The first meeting/event of the BSA AHSG was held on Tuesday, 26
September 2006
at 1.30 - 5.00pm at the University of Nottingham.
Annual Report
The Animal/Human
Studies Group Annual Report is now available.
Joining the
Group
Membership of the AHSG
is free for all BSA members, students and unwaged, but non-BSA
members with institutional support are asked to pay a one-off
joining fee of £40. To keep fully informed of the Group's
activities all members will receive an e-newsletter every two
months and will be added to the Group's emailing list; postgraduate
students will be added to the Group's PG-emailing list too.
On joining, new members will also be given a password so they can
access and contribute to the Group's growing bibliography
database.
To join,
complete the membership form by either (a) saving the form
to your PC, complete it, save it and email or (b)
complete online, print a copy and post. Please send completed
forms to the group's convenor, Dr Rhoda Wilkie - all contact
details are on the form & also
below.
Contributions to the
AHSG e-Newsletter
If you have any information and/or
news items to be included in the AHSG e-newsletter please
contact Dr Rebekah Fox.
Contact the Convenor
Dr Rhoda Wilkie
Department of Sociology
School of Social Science
University of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
AB24 3QY
Send an email.
Tel: 01224 274353
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