Re-presenting animals: In conversation with Debra Merskin
Debra Merskin is professor of media studies in the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon, US. Her research focuses on how the media and popular press represent nonhuman animals, resulting in species stereotypes, and how these portrayals affect the lived experiences of real animals. Sheep, for instance. Let’s start with sheep, […]
Inside the Grass Library
Inside the Grass Library David Brooks with Christine Townend, Blue Mountains Writers Festival, August 2019 David Brooks’s new book, The Grass Library (Brandl & Schlesinger) was released in early August 2019. The publishers describe the book as ‘a philosophical and poetic journey that recounts the author’s relationship with his four sheep and other animals in […]
Nonhuman animal legal personhood – Sakshi Aravind
“The animal has secrets which, unlike the secrets of caves, mountains, seas, are specifically addressed to man.” – John Berger, About Looking (2015) Although I have been thinking and writing about nonhuman legal personhood for a few years now, the last few days at the Sydney Multispecies Justice Symposia have made an unexpected difference in […]
Intertwinements: Writing about birds; writing about the planet by Dr Joshua Lobb
My novel is about many things. I’ve called it “a novel in twelve stories” for a reason. To give you the simplest framework: It’s made up of 12 related stories. Each story describes an encounter with a different species of bird. Some are constantly in our lives, like kookaburras in our garden or magpies who […]
Report on the Melbourne Knowing Animals Reading Group in May 2019
Melbourne Knowing Animals Reading Group, 27 May 2019 In May, the Melbourne Knowing Animals Reading Group read Marti Kheel’s analysis of the psychological, ethical and spiritual dimensions that are culturally associated with hunting, sparking a far-reaching conversation (1996). Our discussion was given resonant depth by the visceral story-telling of Laura Jean McKay (2016). We began […]
All Things Fishy – In Conversation with Dr Jonathan Balcombe
Zhuangzi and Huizi were strolling along the bridge over the Hao River. Zhuangzi said, “The minnows swim about so freely, following the openings wherever they take them. Such is the happiness of fish.” Huizi said, “You are not a fish, so whence do you know the happiness of fish?” Zhuangzi said, “You are not I, […]
Report on the Melbourne Knowing Animals Reading Group in April 2019
Melbourne Knowing Animals Reading Group, 29 April 2019 The Melbourne Knowing Animals Reading Group recently engaged with Carol Adams’ work with the animal industrial complex, a term coined by Barbara Noske and elaborated upon by Richard Twine. There has been considerable work to apply Marxist approaches to animal studies, since the work of Noske, and […]
In Conversation: with Nik Taylor. Companion Animals and Domestic Violence: Rescuing You, Rescuing Me
Prepared by Teya Brooks PribacImages: Mawson Lake Photography Club Nik Taylor is Associate Professor at the University of Canterbury, NZ. She is also, one could say, one of those people who are not afraid of difficult conversations. I first came across Dr Taylor’s work when I was looking for material concerning the psychological impact of […]
Book Review
Yunker, John (ed). 2018. Writing for Animals: New Perspectives for Writers and Instructors to Educate and Inspire. Ashland, Oregon: Ashland Creek Press. Review by Emma Hardy April 2019 Two years ago, I went out to the Great Barrier Reef with a group of citizen scientists to survey the impact coral bleaching and cyclone Debbie. Before […]
Report on the Melbourne Knowing Animals Reading Group in March 2019
The Melbourne Knowing Animals Reading Group continued our exploration of early animal studies scholarship, curated by lynn mowson, with Lori Gruen’s work on “Dismantling Oppression” (1993). Broadening the focus from ‘single issues’ is, Gruen argues, the only way to avoid reproducing systemic oppression (60). We agreed the momentum for more intersectional approaches is ongoing and […]