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Animail:September2016 1
Animail:September2016
DearAASAMembers,
WelcometotheSeptembereditionofAnimail.ApologiesfortheSeptembereditionbeingafewdayslate,I’mcurrentlytravellingintheUSA.Thebignewsthismonthisthelaunchofthe‘LivingBibliographyofAnimalstudies’,anincredibleresourceforASscholars:
http://www.lbanimalstudies.org.uk/index.php?title=Main_Page
TheideaofthelivingbibliographyistocreatearesourceforthosenewtothefieldofAnimalstudies,andallowsscholarstoseewhatishappeningnotonlyinourownfieldsbutinotherstoo:history,geography,politics,renaissancestudies,religiousstudiesetc.Eachentrycanbebuiltonandexpandedbyreadersandcontributors.Asthefieldgrows,sotoowilltheentries.TheLivingBibliographywasstartedbyEricaFudge(UniversityofStrathclyde)andasyou’llallknow,EricaistheDirectoroftheBASN(BritishAnimalStudiesNetwork).AnniePottswrotetheentryforCulturalStudies(IdidtheoneforGenderStudies).
TheMemberProfilessectionthismonthfeaturesGonzaloVillanuevaandJillBough.ThankstoRickforputtingthesetogether,andtoAnnieforherlistofnewpublicationsinthefield.
AremindertocontactthefollowingExecmembersifyou’dliketocontributeinformationtobeincludedinAnimail.
• Blog:NikTaylorandChristineTownend,[[email protected]][email protected]
• ConferenceCalls–<[email protected]• MembershipNews–<[email protected]>• NewBookreleases–AnniePotts<[email protected]>)–• Othernews/AASAexecnews–FionaProbyn-Rapsey([email protected]).
Apologiesagainforsendingthisacoupleofdayslate!Toomanyconferences!
Cheers,fiona
Animail:September2016 2
MemberProfiles
CompiledbyRickDeVos
JillBough
JillwithChocolateMarcBekoffvisitingJill’sdonkeys
Ihavehadalifelongloveaffairwithanimals,sharingmylifewiththemsincegrowingupinCornwall,UK,whethergallopingmyhorsealongdesertedbeaches,takingmydogsforlongcliffwalks,orsittinggluedtoanimalprogramsorreadingbooksaboutthem.Therestoflifetooksecondplacetothejoyandwonderandcompanionshipofanimals.SincemovingtoAustraliaandlivingonabeautifulpropertyontheCentralCoastofNSW,Ihavebeenabletoindulgemypassionfurther,includingkeepinghorses,donkeys,goats,dogs,cats,geese,chickens,ducks,galahsandcockatiels.Thesehavedwindledinnumberovertheyearsandnowdogsanddonkeysandafewfeatheredfriendsremain.
DonkeyshavefeaturedinmylifesinceIrodedonkeysonthebeachasachildorwatchedthembeingworkedonGreekislandswhileofholiday.TheDonkeySanctuaryinDevon,afavouritehaunt,waswhereIlearnedwhatwonderfulanimalstheyare–andhowneglectedandabused.Itwasnosurprise,then,thatdonkeyswerethemeansbywhichIcombinedmyprofessionandmypassionwhenIembarkedonaPhD(attheageof60)intothehistoryofthedonkeyinAustralia,ValuetoVermin:thedonkeyinAustralia(2008).TheattitudesIfoundinAustralialedtomydesiretouncovertheirstory,formostAustraliansIspoketohadlittleknowledgeoforinterestindonkeys,werenotawareoftheirroleincolonialhistoryor,indeed,oftheirpresentfateaswilddonkeysbeingsystematicallyslaughtered.Furthermore,itseemedtomethatanimalswerevaluedfortheirextrinsicratherthanintrinsicworth.Iwantedinsomesmallwaytoredressthatbalance.
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Therefore,itwasmypassionfordonkeyswhichintroducedmetotheexcitingworldofAnimalStudies.ItwastrulyasteeplearningexperienceasIknewlittleofthatinterdisciplinaryworld,ofthetheoriesofhumanandanimalrelationshipsorthehistoryorgeographyofAustralia–butitwasajourneythatIthoroughlyenjoyed,whethergrapplingwiththeories,researchingrecordsinthearchives,talkingtodonkeydriversornegotiatingolddonkeyteamtracksintheOutback.
Veryearlyoninthisjourney,IwasfortunateenoughtoattendtheveryfirstAnimalStudiesconferenceinPerthwhereImetasmallbutdedicatedandexcitinggroupofanimalscholarsandactivists.Iwasgreatlyinspiredbythesepeople,manystartingoutintheircareers.Ithasbeenwonderfulandhearteningtoseethedisciplineexpandexponentiallyandtheseacademics’workrecognised.Manyofthesecolleagueshavenowbeenpromotedtoprominentpositionsthatwouldn’tevenhaveexisted10yearsago.In2009,Iwasco-convenorwithDrRodBennisonofthethirdAASA/firstMindingAnimalsConferenceinNewcastle.IhavepresentedateachoftheAASAconferencessinceandcontinuetobeinspiredbythewonderfulworkthatisbeingundertakenbythemembers.Icanonlyhopethattheirworkwillultimatelymakeadifferencetothewayinwhichhumansperceiveandtreattheanimalswithwhomwesharetheworld.
Icontinuetofocusmyresearchonthesignificanceofdonkeystohumanculturesandthewaythatsocietiesrepresentand,ultimately,treatthem.MybookDonkey(2011)waspublishedbyReaktionBooksandIhavepublishedseveralchaptersinbooksandacademicjournalarticles,themostrecentconcerninganewrolefordonkeysinAustralia:“OurstubbornprejudiceaboutdonkeysisshiftingastheyprotectAustralia'ssheepfromwilddogs”.AustralianZoologist:2016,Vol.38,No.1,pp.17-25.
DrJillBoughiscurrentlyaConjointLecturerattheUniversityofNewcastleintheFacultyofHumanitiesandSocialSciences.
GonzaloVillanueva
Animalshavealwaysbeenapartofmylife.Attheageofnine,myparentsdecidedthatIshouldhaveacatasacompanionandwewenttothelocalshelterwhereIchoseagingerkittenfromalitter,whomInamedCleopatra(hernamechoicewasnotinspiredbythepharaoh–althoughasahistorianIwishIcouldclaimthis–butbyacharacteronScoobyDooIhadseenonTV
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thatmorning).Cleopatrajoinedourbelovedsilkyterrier,Scruffy.LivinginthewesternsuburbsofSydney,ourcompanionanimalfamilygrew:wehadseveralfinches,afluctuatingnumberofrabbits,agoldfish,andforashorttimemybrotherhadamouse.IwasalsoonetobringhomestraydogsthatwewouldfosterforashorttimeandIwouldalwaysbeupsetwhenevertheyleft.Today,ayoungtabbycatcalledPhoenixandamiddle-agedChihuahua/JackRussellnamedCleo(noconnectiontomychildhoodcat,butanicecoincidence),makeupanimportantpartofourhousehold.
Ibegantoconsiderthepoliticsofthehuman-animalrelationshipwhenIwasatuniversity.Beforethen,Ihadbeenavegetarianforafewyears,butmainlyforhealthandenvironmentalreasons;Ihadn’tseriouslyconsideredtheethicalissuesregarding.Thisslowlychangedwhenafriendwhowasactivelyinvolvedintheuniversity’sanimalprotectionsocietychallengedmetoconsidertheanimalquestion.Overashortperiodoftime,Ibecameconvincedofthesignificanceofanimalrightsandtheimperativeofveganism.Thesedecisionseventuallyshapedmyacademicinterests.
Havingtrainedinsociologyandwithalongstandinginterestinsocialmovements,IdecidedtofocusmyPhDattheUniversityofMelbourneontheAustraliananimalrightsmovement.Astherewasverylittlewrittenaboutthehistoryofthemovement,Iratherquickly,andperhapsambitiously,begantoaskmorehistoricallyorientatedquestions:howdidthemovementoriginate?Howdidactivistsundertaketheircampaigning(forexample,whydidactiviststakeupdirectaction)?Howeffectiveweretheiractions?Thesebecamemyguidingquestions.Aftermyfirstyear,Ijoinedthehistorydepartment,undertheexperttutelageofSeanScalmer,ascholarwitharichinterdisciplinarybackground.Engagingwithdiverseapproachestostudyingsocialmovements,exploringpreviouslyunexaminedarchives,andthroughinterviewswithcurrentandformerleadingactivists,mythesisofferedthefirstmajorhistoricalstudyofthecreation,contention,andconsequencesofanimalactivisminmodernAustralianhistory.
AASAmembersmightbestknowmyworkbecauseofaConversationarticleIwroteearlierthisyearduringthe“milkcrisis”.Ihadbeenfollowingthe“milkcrisis”asitunfoldedinthemediaandithadbeenaparticularlyone-sidednarrative.Ofcourse,theFacebookforumswerequicktocriticisethisnarrativeandpointedoutthattherealvictimswerebeingignored.Indeed,themediaoutletspersisted,andcontinue,withthisparochial,anthropocentricnarrative.Whywerenoalternativeanalysesbeingofferedinthemedia?
MydecisiontowritethearticlehadbeeninfluencedbysomethingPeterSingerhadsaidintheprefacetoDemocracyandDisobedience(1973):‘Moralandpoliticalphilosophersmustbepreparedtogivetheiropinions,withsupportingarguments,ontherightsandwrongsofcomplexdisputes’.Herejectedthepassiveandinsulatedcultureofacademia.Intellectuals(andhereIdonotusethetermexclusivelytomeanacademics,butanyoneinvolvedin
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“thinkingwork”)mustnotonlyproducemeaning,butmustarticulateanddebatesolutionstoreal-worldissues.
Althoughitwasn’tmyfirstarticle,itwascertainlymymostcontroversial.Withintwenty-fourhours,ithadreceived18,000viewsandmorethan200comments.Thecommentswereheavilymoderatedduetointensepersonalattacksthatwerebeingwritten(andhereIapplaudtheeffortsoftheConversationforfacilitatingthispublicdebate).Commentarywasclosedwithintwohoursanditlookedasthoughitwasgoingtobeaprematureendtoapassionatedebate.However,bymidday,ithadreopenedandremainedsountiltheendoftheday.Iwassatisfiedthatmyarticlehadprovidedaframeforananimatedpublicdebate,ifonlyforafewdays.
Havinggraduatedin2016,Iamintheprocessofpublishingamonograph,whichisbasedonmythesis.IamalsointheearlystagesofdevelopingapostdoctoralprojectthatseekstohistoricallyexploretheglobalactivismofSeaShepherd.Inthemeantime,IamworkingaspartofteamonacommissionedhistoryoftheVictorianBar.Withinthisproject,Ihopetoexplorethecoloniallegalarchitectureofanimalprotection.AASAmemberscanfollowmyworkviamyacademiaprofilepage.
MemberNews
JanineBurkehasguestcuratedanexhibitionopeningon20NovemberatMcClellandSculpturePark+Gallery.EntitledHuman/Animal/Artist:ArtInspiredbyAnimals,theexhibitionexploreshowtheexquisite,elaborateandsophisticatedworksofanimalscanhaveadirect,fecundandilluminatingrelationshipwithcontemporaryart.Itincludesinternationalandlocalsculptors,painters,photographers,video,installationandperformanceartists,andmusicians:LaurenBerkowitz,CatherineChalmers(USA),CatherineClover,JoeJapanangkaJames,NicholasMangan,VeraMöller,Greg
Mosquito,SamuelNamunjdja,SeanPeoples,ElizabethPresa,DavidRothenberg(USA),SandraSelig,TaiSnaith,JasondeCairesTaylor(UK),EsmeTimbery,WatarruCollaborative,LouiseWeaver,ShonaWilson,andJohnWolseley.Theexhibitionwillrununtil19February2017.
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JaneMummeryandDebbieRodanhaveguesteditedthecurrentissueofCtrl-Z:NewMediaPhilosophy,whichexploresthequestionof‘NewMediaAnimals’.FeaturingcontributionsfromAudreyAppudurai,AdamBrown,AngelaCampbell,ShaunP.Collin,MikeDanaher,VincianeDespret(trans.BrettBuchanan),YvetteGranata,ClaireHenry,Hörner/Antlfinger,CelesteLawson,DominiqueLestel(trans.MatthewChrulew),JaneMummery,MarnieNolton,DebbieRodan,JohnRyan,ThomasSutherland,DebWaterhouse-Watson,andIonatZurr,thespecialissueoffersnewinsightsintothequestionsofanimalityandnewmedia.
http://www.ctrl-z.net.au//journal?slug=issue-6
RecentPublications
TeyaBrooksPribac,‘CrazyAnimaladies',MascaraLiteraryReviewno.19OnlyAnimals,September2016:http://mascarareview.com/teya-brooks-pribac/
LauraJeanMcKay,‘CrossingtheThreshold:DomesticTerritoryandNonhumanOthernessinColinMcAdam’sABeautifulTruth’,Otherness:EssaysandStudies,5(2)September2016.http://www.otherness.dk/fileadmin/www.othernessandthearts.org/Publications/Journal_Otherness/Otherness__Essays_and_Studies_5.2/7_Laura_Jean_McKay_-_Chrossing_The_Threshold.pdf
JaneMummery,DebbieRodan&MarnieNolton,‘MakingChange:DigitalActivismandPublicPressureRegardingLivestockWelfare’,Ctrl-Z:NewMediaPhilosophy#6,2016.
http://www.ctrl-z.net.au/articles/issue-6/mummery-rodan-nolton-making-change/
SusanPyke,‘DivineWings:LiteraryFlightsbetweentheCyclicAvianinEmilyBrontë’sPoemsandOblivia’sSwanSonginAlexisWright’sTheSwanBook’,Otherness:EssaysandStudies,5(2)September2016.http://www.otherness.dk/fileadmin/www.othernessandthearts.org/Publications/Journal_Otherness/Otherness__Essays_and_Studies_5.2/8_Susan_Pyke_-_Divine_Wings.pdf
GonzaloVillanueva,“‘TheBible’oftheAnimalMovement:PeterSingerandAnimalLiberation,1970-1976”,HistoryAustralia13,no.3(2016):399–414.http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14490854.2016.1202372?journalCode=raha20
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AnimalRightsinSydney(ARiS)Convenors:SiobhanO’Sullivan,JohnHadley,DineshWadiwel
AnimalRightsinSydney(ARiS)aimstobringtogetherscholars,practitionersandactiviststoengagewithanimalrightstheoryandexplorenewdirectionsforproanimalchange.ARiSiscreatingaregularspacetoengagewithbothclassicanimalrightstheoryandnewemergingperspectives.ARiSwillhostnationalandinternationalvisitorsandwillinitiatediscussionandreadinggroupsthatallowparticipantstoengagewithkey
debatesanddevelopconnectionsbetweenscholars,practitionersandactivists.Keepaneyeoutforfutureevents-wearehopingthiswillbecomearegularfixture.
NEWBOOKRELEASESCompiledbyAnniePottsNewBookReleasesSeptember2016Thismonthwe’recelebratingthepublicationoftwobooksbyAASAmembers!
FightingNature:TravellingMenageries,AnimalActsandWarShowsByPetaTait,publishedbySydneyUniversityPressinitsAnimalPublicsSeries.ISBN:9781743324301
Throughoutthe19thcenturyanimalswereintegratedintostagedscenariosofconfrontation,rangingfromlionactsinsmallcagestolarge-scalere-enactmentsofwar.Initiallypresentingahandfulofexoticanimals,travellingmenageriesgrewtocontainmultiplespeciesintheirthousands.These19th-centurymenageriesentrenchedbeliefsaboutthehumanrighttoexploitnaturethroughwar-likepracticesagainstotheranimalspecies.Animalshowsbecameastimulusforantisocial
behaviouraslocalstauntedanimals,causedfights,andeventurnedintoviolentmobs.Humansocietalproblemsweredifficulttoseparatefromissuesofcrueltytoanimals.
Apartfromreflectinghumancapacityforfightingandaggression,andthebeliefinhumandominanceovernature,theseanimalperformancesalsoechoedculturalfascinationwithconflict,warandcolonialexpansion,asthegrandspectaclesofimperialpowerreinforcedstateauthorityandenhancedpublicdisplaysofnationhoodandnationalisticevocationsofcolonialempires.
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FightingNatureisaninsightfulanalysisofthehistoricallegacyof19th-centurycolonialism,war,animalacquisitionandtransportation.Thislegacyofentrenchedbeliefsaboutthehumanrighttoexploitotheranimalspeciesisyettobedefeated.
AbouttheAuthor:PetaTaitFAHAisProfessorofTheatreandDramaatLaTrobeUniversityandVisitingProfessorattheUniversityofWollongong,andauthorofWildandDangerousPerformances(2012).
DigitaleditionsofFightingNaturearealsonowavailableforGooglePlayandtheiBookstore.Formoreinfosee:http://purl.library.usyd.edu.au/sup/9781743324301RegardingLife:AnimalsandtheDocumentaryMovingImageByRebeccaSmaill,publishedbySUNYPressintheHorizonsofCinemaSeries.
RegardingLifecontendsthatthenarrativeandaestheticqualitiesofthedocumentarygenreenablenewunderstandingsofanimalsandanimal/humanrelationships.AsindicatedbythesuccessofsuchfilmsasMarchofthePenguinsandFood,Inc.,thedocumentaryhasbecomethepreeminentformatforrenderinganimalsandnatureonscreen.InRegardingLife,BelindaSmaillbringstogetherexamplesfromabroadarrayofmovingimagecontexts,includingwildlifefilmandtelevision,advocacydocumentary,avant-gardenonfiction,andnewmediatoidentifyanewdocumentaryterraininwhichthe
representationofanimalsinthewildandinindustrialsettingsisbecomingmarkedlymorecomplexandincreasinglymoreinvolvedwithpivotalecologicaldebatesoverspeciesloss,foodproduction,andscience.Whileattendingtosomeofthemostdiscusseddocumentariesofthelasttwodecades,includingGrizzlyMan;Food,Inc.;Sweetgrass;OurDailyBread;andDarwin’sNightmare,thebookalsodrawsonlesser-knownfilmexamples,andisoneofthefirsttobringfilmstudiesunderstandingstonewmediasuchasYouTube.Theresultisastudythatmeldsfilmstudiesandanimalstudiestoexplorehowdocumentaryfilmsrenderbothhumansandanimals,andtowhatpoliticalends.“Abrilliant,cogent,andtimelylookattheintersectionof
animals,theenvironment,food,andthepeoplewhoenjoyandconsumethem.ThisisthemostsolidbookonfilmIhavereadinquiteawhile,anditwillbetakenupwithmuchenthusiasmbydocumentaryscholars,animal-rightsactivists,eco-warriors,andabroadpublicthatisinterestedinoneoranother—orall—ofthesubjectscoveredhere.”—DavidDesser,authorofAmericanJewishFilmmakers,SecondEditionAbouttheAuthor:BelindaSmaillisAssociateProfessorinFilmandScreenStudiesatMonashUniversityinAustralia.SheistheauthorofTheDocumentary:Politics,Emotion,Cultureandthecoauthor(withOliviaKhooandAudreyYue)ofTransnationalAustralian
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Cinema:EthicsintheAsianDiasporas.
TableofContents1.Introduction2.Labor,Agriculture,andLongTakeCinema:WorkingontheSurfaceoftheEarth3.Meat,Animals,andParadigmsofEmbodiment:DocumentaryIdentificationandtheProblemofFood4.ArcticFuturesandExtinction:Loss,theArchive,and(Wildlife)Film5.Antarctica,Science,andExploration:EncountersattheEndoftheWorld6.TheNonfictionofYouTubeand“Naturecams”:PosthumanismandReflectionsonAgency7.InConclusion:Documentary,Science,andtheUmweltFormoreinfosee:http://www.sunypress.edu/p-6290-regarding-life.aspx
CONFERENCES&EVENTSCallforPapers–YaminiNarayanan,SimonSpringer,OphelieVeron
AAG2017,Boston.
TowardsVeganGeographies:EthicsBeyondViolence
Outline
VeganismasanethicsandapracticehasarecordedhistorydatingbacktoAntiquity.Yet,itisonlyrecentlythatresearchershavebeguntheprocessofformalisingthestudyofveganism.Scholarswhoexaminethistheoryandactionareusuallysituatedinsociology,history,philosophy,culturalstudiesorcriticalanimalstudies.Thecentralityandcontestednatureofplaceintheactionsanddiscourseofanimalrightsactivistshoweversuggestaninherentlyspatialpraxis.Slaughterhousesaredeliberatelyclosedandplacedoutofthesight;ourfamiliarurbanenvironmentisfilledwithreferencestoeatingmeatandexploitinganimals,althoughnormalisedandrenderedinvisible.Ontheotherhand,activiststaketothestreettodefendanimalrightsandinviteindividualstochangetheirperceptiononeverydayplacesandpracticesofanimalviolence.Animalliberationandveganismthereforeembodyaninherentlyspatialpraxis–thedesiretolivewithoutplacesofviolence(White,2015).AsunderlinedbyHarper(2010:5-6),‘veganismisnotjustabouttheabstinenceofanimalconsumption;itisabouttheongoingstruggletoproducesocio-spatial
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epistemologiesofconsumptionthatleadtoculturalandspatialchange’.Whileaninterestindominationovernon-humananimalshasgainedmomentumwithincriticalgeographycirclesinthelasttwodecades(WolchandEmel,1995;PhiloandWilbert,2000;Emeletal.,2002,GillespieandCollards,2015;White,2015),thescarcityofavailableliteraturehighlightstheneedforgeographerstofurtherreflectonveganactivismandpractice.Asscholars-activistsidentifyingwithveganism,weseektounderscorewhatgeographerscancontributetoourunderstandingofcriticalveganismandveganpraxis.
Wethereforewouldliketoinviteresearchpresentationsaddressingthemesincludingbutnotlimitedto:
-Veganismandcriticalanimalgeographies
-Vegan,post-colonialandfeministgeographies
-Speciesismandimaginedgeographies
-Totalliberationandemancipatorypolitics
-Veganismasaspatialpraxis
-Veganismandpositionality
-Veganmovementsandactivism
-Veganculturesandsubcultures
-IndigenousandBlackveganism
-Intersectionality
-Anthroprivilegeandanthroparchy
-Veganismandanarchistgeographies
-Veganism,capitalismandtheanimalindustrialcomplex
-Veganismandcriticalpedagogies
-Veganismandenvironmentalism
-Veganfutures
Wealsowelcomepresentationsinnon-traditionalandparticipatoryformats.Pleasesendabstractsofnomorethan250wordstoy.narayanan@deakin.edu.au,[email protected],[email protected]@shu.ac.ukby21October2016.
Thesessionwillbefollowedbyanopendiscussion.Ifyouwouldliketoparticipate(e.g.discussant)thenpleasefeelfreetocontactusaswell.
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References
Emel,J.,Wilbert,C.andWolch,J.(2002)AnimalGeographies,SocietyandAnimals,10(4),p.407-412.
Gillespie,K.,&Collard,R.C.(eds.)(2015)CriticalAnimalGeographies:Politics,IntersectionsandHierarchiesinaMultispeciesWorld.Routledge.:London&NewYork.
Harper,A.B.(2010).Raceasa‘FeebleMatter’inVeganism:InterrogatingWhiteness,GeopoliticalPrivilege,andConsumptionPhilosophyof‘Cruelty-Free’Products.Journalforcriticalanimalstudies,8(3),p.5-27.
Philo,C.andWilbert,C.(eds.),Animalspaces,beastlyplaces:newgeographiesofhuman-animalrelations,Routledge,LondonandNewYork.
White,R.J.(2015)Animalgeographies,anarchistpraxis,andcriticalanimalstudies.In:KathrynGillespieandRosemary-ClaireCollard(eds.),CriticalAnimalGeographies:Politics,IntersectionsandHierarchiesinaMultispeciesWorld.Routledge:London&NewYork,p.19-35.
White,R.J.(2015)FollowingintheFootstepsofEliséeReclus:DisturbingPlacesofInter-SpeciesViolencethatareHiddeninPlainSight.In:AnthonyJ.NocellaII,RichardJ.WhiteandErikaCudworth(eds.),AnarchismandAnimalLiberation.EssaysonComplementaryElementsofTotalLiberation,Jefferson:McFarland&Company,p.212-230.
Wolch,J.andEmel,J.(1995)BringingtheAnimalsBackIn.In:JenniferWolchandJacqueEmel(eds.)SpecialIssue:BringingtheAnimalsBackIn.EnvironmentandPlanningD:SocietyandSpace13.6,p.632–636.
