Politics & Current Affairs - Animal Rights

"I don't know why you're spending all your time on this. They're only animals - for heaven's sake!” That was the reaction of one of Andrew Linzey's fellow students at King's College, London, when he was studying theology in the 1970s. Since then, the now Rev. Dr. Andrew Linzey has been arguing that animals aren't only anything, but rather that they matter to God and should do so to us.

In this collection of essays, Linzey counters with his customary wit, erudition and insight, some contemporary (and perhaps surprising) challenges to animal rights - from ecotheologians, the Church and politicians. He contends that far from the sometimes shallow judgments of those who think animals unworthy of theological consideration, the Christian tradition has a wellspring of sources and resources available to taking animals seriously. Instead of being marginal to the Christian experience, Linzey concludes, animals can take their rightful place alongside human beings as creatures of the same God.

In a thoughtful and thought-provoking contribution to the study of animals and the Holocaust Karen Davis makes the case that significant parallels can - and must - be drawn between the Holocaust and the institutionalised abuse of billions of animals in battery farms. Carefully setting forth the conditions that must be met when one instance of oppression is used metaphorically to illuminate another Davis demonstrates the value of such comparisons in exploring the invisibility of the oppressed historical and hidden suffering the idea that some groups were made to serve others through suffering and sacrificial death and other concepts that reveal powerful connections between animal and human experience - as well as human traditions and tendencies of which we all should be aware. Karen Davis is the President of United Poultry Concerns. She is the author of Prisoned Chickens Poisoned Eggs: An Inside Look at the Modern Poultry Industry. She lives in Virginia.

This visionary book of hope for a world at peace is also an excellent reference for animal activists who wish to explore the interconnectedness of animal rights ecology world peace and social justice. PEACE TO ALL BEINGS shows how animal rights and liberation are an essential part of any movement that is working to make the world a better place. It is a valuable aid for anyone seeking to live in harmony with the values of compassion non-violence and reverence for all life.

The animal liberation movement is growing in size and strength - but so are the industries that exploit animals. These industries have vastly more resources at their disposal than activists do. Given this tremendous power differential, how can activists hope to compete? The good news is that there is a way to shift the balance of power in favour of the movement. And strategy is the way. In STRATEGIC ACTION FOR ANIMALS, Melanie Joy explains how to use strategy to exponentially increase the effectiveness of activism for animals. Drawing on diverse movements and sources, she offers tried and true tactics based on well-established principles and practices. She, also, explains how to address the most common problems that weaken the movement, such as dissidence among organisations and activists, inefficient campaigns, wasted resources and high rates of burnout. Whether you're working alone or with a group, whether you're a seasoned activist or new to the movement, STRATEGIC ACTION FOR ANIMALS can help you make the most of your efforts to make the world a better place for animals.

In 2008, Lantern published Social Creatures, an encyclopaedic collection of articles from the new and exciting disciple of Human-Animal Studies. TEACHING THE ANIMAL is a followup collection of original pieces that discuss in detail the challenges and opportunities for all teachers of H.A.S.

Split into three sections, TEACHING THE ANIMAL provides in-depth analysis of the nature of the discipline, the resources available, expectations of students and faculty and a number of sample curricula in the fields of humanities, social sciences and the natural sciences.

TEACHING THE ANIMAL promises to be the definitive handbook for all teachers of Human-Animal Studies at both undergraduate and graduate levels. It, also, offers a comprehensive overview of the state of the disciplines in question, as well as the philosophical and practical issues involved in discussing the intersections of human and nonhuman animals in society.

Jungian psychologist James Hillman, animal behavioralist Jane Goodall, humorist/social activist Dick Gregory and environmentalist Maneka Gandhi (India's Minister of Welfare) are among the contributors to this eloquent, forceful body of writings that forges vital links between vegetarianism, environmentalism, animal rights and the quest for social justice. All the pieces are drawn from Satya: A Magazine of Vegetarianism, Environmentalism, and Animal Advocacy, which Rowe edits. For readers contemplating a switch away from a meat-centered diet, this cheerfully inclusive volume includes diverse perspectives: Philadelphia rabbi Arthur Waskow's "Eco-Kosher" living strategy; British theologian Andrew Linzey's theocentric philosophy of animal rights; African American WBAI radio host Shelton Walden's thoughts on how the animal advocacy movement can reach out to the black community. One essay, by Rynn Berry, lays to rest the myth that Hitler was a vegetarian: the Fuhrer gorged on Bavarian sausages, ham, liver and pigeon, though he occasionally went on "vegetarian" binges to cure his flatulence and excessive sweating. Selections range from timely reports on "mad cow disease" and genetic engineering to wake-up calls concerning Earth's diminishing resources and a critique of Americans' dependence on the automobile. What unites the contributions is the shared conviction that gratuitous, massive violence against animals has no place in a future world free of exploitation and domination. Anyone concerned about the state of the planet will relish drinking from this clear and bracing pool of wisdom.