Shelly Volsche, Jennifer Wathan, Naeem Abbas, Laura Kavata Kimwele, Giovanna Capponi, Ricardo R. Ontillera Sanchez, Eva Zoubek, Melanie Ramasawmy
Abstract
There is no universal attitude or behaviour towards animals. While one species can be considered as a family member in some cultures, the same species might be considered a pest in others. In fact, animals can have multitude roles alongside humans, beyond companion or food source, but each has an integrated part to play within our societies. This chapter provides some insights into the differences in Human-Animal Interaction, through three main examples of cross-cultural comparisons of human-dog, human-equine and human-chicken interactions. The first example explores the consistently evolving human-dog interactions across cultures. The second example presents the key societal roles of human-equine interactions, with cases from South-East Asia and Africa. Finally, the array of human-chicken interactions across three continents is explored through religious rituals in South America, gaming in the Canary Island, pet keeping in the UK and livestock in Ethiopia.
Reading recommendations
Alves, R. R. N., & de Albuquerque, U. P. (Eds.). (2017). Ethnozoology: Animals in our lives. Academic Press.
Cole, M., & Stewart, K. (2016). Our children and other animals: The cultural construction of human-animal relations in childhood. Routledge.
Franklin, A. (1999). Animals and modern cultures: A sociology of human-animal relations in modernity. Animals and Modern Cultures, 1-224.
Web resources and Presentation recommendations
Compassionate Handling Factsheets of equids, livestock and pet by theBrooke.org.
Invisible Helpers, Working livestock in sustainable development video: Link here
Activity
Based on chapter 6 and your own reading, choose a species and assess how this species is perceived and the different interactions that this species might have with humans within the same society or in different societies. For example:
