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Key Notes on Human-Animal Relationships from Chapter 18

Introduction

  • Human-animal relationships are diverse and omnipresent in various aspects of life (food, companionship, culture).
  • Human-animal scholarship is an interdisciplinary field encompassing anthropology, sociology, psychology, and more.

18.1 Humans and Animals

Learning Outcomes

  • Understand definitions of animals and the human-animal continuum.
  • Define multispecies ethnography and highlight dog domestication.

The Human-Animal Continuum

  • Nonhuman animals are crucial to human life: food, spirituality, symbolism.
  • Definitions of an animal: multicellular organisms that breathe, move, and reproduce sexually.
  • Aristotelian classification includes humans as animals with reasoning abilities.
  • Linnaeus's binomial classification also places humans within the animal kingdom.
  • Claude Lévi-Strauss's perspective emphasizes cultural distinctions between humans and animals, stating they are "good to think" about ourselves.
  • Cultural practices create differing values assigned to animals (e.g., pets vs. food).

Multispecies Ethnography

  • Emerging scholarship that looks into human-animal interactions as complex and not purely anthropocentric.
  • Investigates cooperative relations such as symbiosis between humans and animals (e.g., herders and reindeer).
  • Example studies from Izhma Komi and Nenets herding populations in Russia show deep interdependence and learned behaviors within animal groups.

Domestication of Dogs

  • Dogs, believed to be among the first domesticated animals, have extensive historical roles.
  • Their various breeds emerged from selective breeding mainly from wolves.
  • Functions of domesticated dogs:
    • Guarding: Natural instincts exploited via selective breeding.
    • Hunting: Trained for their skills to retrieve and assist in hunting.
    • Herding: Vital for pastoral societies as guides for livestock.
    • Transportation: Used historically to carry loads, especially in cultures without large beasts of burden.
    • Meat source: In some cultures, dogs are bred and consumed for food.

18.2 Animals and Subsistence

Learning Outcomes

  • Explore empathy in human-animal relationships.
  • Characterize the relationship between Indigenous people and animals.

Human-Animal Empathy in Subsistence

  • Indigenous hunter-gatherer societies view animals as spiritual equals, maintaining reciprocal relationships.
  • Ritualistic practices before hunts, like Yukaghir rituals, emphasize respect for animal spirits.
  • Rock Cree Case Study: Reflects a complex relationship with animals as tied to identity and respect.

Indigenous Perspectives

  • Rock Cree believe animals possess spirits and reincarnate. Killing an animal without respect risks their spirit's return.
  • Detailed rituals around hunting and treating the remains emphasize the connection between humans and animals.

18.3 Symbolism and Meaning of Animals

Learning Outcomes

  • Understand roles of totemism and religious significance of animals.

Totemism

  • Totemism involves spiritual kinship with a particular animal or plant.
  • Clans derive identity and social roles from their totems, reflecting broader human-nature relationships.

Animals in Oral Tradition

  • Animals serve as characters in many myths and stories, imparting life lessons.
  • Trickster Tales: Common in many cultures (e.g., coyote stories in Native American folklore).

Animals in Religion

  • Animals act as sacrificial tokens and symbolize communication with the divine (e.g., doves in the Noah myth).
  • Example: Guinea pigs in Andean rituals serve as offerings for healing and divination.

18.4 Pet-Keeping

Learning Outcomes

  • Define pets as cultural artifacts and discuss their history in Western societies.

Pets as Cultural Artifacts

  • Pets differ across cultures, reflecting affection, companionship, and economic trends.
  • Modern pet keeping developed in the late 18th century as societies urbanized.
  • Economic growth spurred the pet industry, including veterinary services and pet products.

Pet Keeping in Indigenous Societies

  • Indigenous groups historically kept pets (birds, monkeys) to bond with nature.
  • Examples include the Waraõ and Barasana, who care for various species as family members.

18.5 Animal Industries and the Animal Trade

Learning Outcomes

  • Understand evolution of zoos and the impact of ecotourism.

Zoos

  • Originated as symbols of status; modern conservation-focused institutions have emerged.
  • Shifted from exhibition for entertainment to breeding and conservation efforts (CITES, ESA).

Ecotourism

  • Designed to be sustainable, raising awareness and providing economic assistance for conservation.
  • Example: Galápagos Islands—ecotourism contributes to preservation efforts.

Animals in Biomedical Research

  • Millions of animals are used for research, raising ethical questions.
  • Regulations like AWA exist to improve conditions, but not all animals are covered.
  • Animal research has contributed significantly to medical advancements.

Conclusion

  • The multifaceted relationship between humans and animals influences cultural identity, spirituality, and subsistence practices. Understanding these connections helps deepening our appreciation of animal roles in human lives.