Relating Animals: Feminism and Our Connections with Nonhumans

Abstract

In this paper, I explore the intersections between feminism and thinking about (nonhuman) animals. My premise is that animals matter to our politics, not only for themselves, but also for how we think about our own world. I consider three aspects of such intersecting: first, considering animals is important in terms of global environmental concerns because oppression of animals is linked profoundly to how we treat nature in general. Second, although animals seldom enter feminist thought, I argue that how animals are figured matters a great deal to feminism, not least because how we think about them is so mired in problematic dualities of nature/culture and body/mind. Third, I emphasise relationships and relationality—in this case, between humans and our nonhuman kin. This offers, I believe, not only a better way of understanding how embedded in our society are many animals, but also a route to a more inclusive ethics and politics.