These panels bring together researchers, activists, and artists to discuss how animal captivity can be critically understood and effectively documented and contested. The panels are independently convened, part of the Ecocide/Speciesism symposium and included in the Environmental Humanities Month at the University of Helsinki. One will be a debate panel, the other is a presentations panel. Find details below and please join me/us!
𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
I took this photo in 2016 outside Birzeit, Palestine. The heart added to the cage’s bars: one of the many absurd facets of normalized animal abuse. Captivity defines the lives of billions of nonhuman animals. Across sectors like food, clothing, medicine, or entertainment, the torture and murder of animals relies on their confinement. Sentient beings suffer physically and psychologically from captivity; their need for freedom, autonomy and bodily integrity collides with our “right” to (ab)use them, cemented by animals’ legal designation as property.
Often the focus in scholarship and praxis contesting animal abuse is its end: the violent killing. That can obscure the months, years or decades animals spend in captivity, in horrific conditions. Captivity is part of a continuum of torturous practices, crushing the body and spirit of sentient beings. As the normalization of captivity rests on its invisibility, we need to learn how criminal yet legal sectors like animal farming and wildlife trade profit from confining animals. Also, understanding that the captivity of humans and nonhumans has similar manifestations and effects can create inter-species compassion and solidarity.
Animal captivity has been contested through litigation, direct action, protests, research, teaching, advocacy, artwork. Despite sporadic victories for animal rights, most of us remain beneficiaries of industries confining, torturing, and massacring animals. How can we contribute to exposing and contesting these crimes?
Areas we can explore:
• legal and civic efforts challenging the captivity of animals victimized by animal farming or wildlife trade (habeas corpus cases, open and clandestine rescue, legislative initiatives)
• how can we expand our cultural and legal definitions of torture and genocide (both experienced by animals in the context of captivity) to include nonhumans?
• parallels between the captivity of nonhumans and humans (prisoners of war, prisoners of conscience, slavery, sex trafficking victims): what can animal rights activism learn from the successes and failures of anti-war and human rights activism?
• well-meaning captivity: the confinement of animals in homes, shelters, sanctuaries
• responding to animal captivity in the context of war, natural or man-made disasters
𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓
First panel: debate (some experts in animal rights have been invited, other contributors will join after applying).
Second panel: three or four presentations (10/15 min. each) + Q&A.
You can join one or both panels as contributor/attendee. No event fees.
Each panel will be about two hours, held on Zoom.
𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
To join the debate panel: send me by 1 November a few thoughts on why this interests you and how your background can contribute to the discussion.
To join the presentations panel: send me by 1 November a 200/250-word introduction to your project and 100/150-word bio.
To attend: no registration needed, just join the Zoom meeting.
In mid-November I’ll post here details on contributors, times, and Zoom links.
Challenging Captivity: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Animal Liberation (2. 12. 2023, ONLINE)
These panels bring together researchers, activists, and artists to discuss how animal captivity can be critically understood and effectively documented and contested. The panels are independently convened, part of the Ecocide/Speciesism symposium and included in the Environmental Humanities Month at the University of Helsinki. One will be a debate panel, the other is a presentations panel. Find details below and please join me/us!
𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
I took this photo in 2016 outside Birzeit, Palestine. The heart added to the cage’s bars: one of the many absurd facets of normalized animal abuse. Captivity defines the lives of billions of nonhuman animals. Across sectors like food, clothing, medicine, or entertainment, the torture and murder of animals relies on their confinement. Sentient beings suffer physically and psychologically from captivity; their need for freedom, autonomy and bodily integrity collides with our “right” to (ab)use them, cemented by animals’ legal designation as property.
Often the focus in scholarship and praxis contesting animal abuse is its end: the violent killing. That can obscure the months, years or decades animals spend in captivity, in horrific conditions. Captivity is part of a continuum of torturous practices, crushing the body and spirit of sentient beings. As the normalization of captivity rests on its invisibility, we need to learn how criminal yet legal sectors like animal farming and wildlife trade profit from confining animals. Also, understanding that the captivity of humans and nonhumans has similar manifestations and effects can create inter-species compassion and solidarity.
Animal captivity has been contested through litigation, direct action, protests, research, teaching, advocacy, artwork. Despite sporadic victories for animal rights, most of us remain beneficiaries of industries confining, torturing, and massacring animals. How can we contribute to exposing and contesting these crimes?
Areas we can explore:
• legal and civic efforts challenging the captivity of animals victimized by animal farming or wildlife trade (habeas corpus cases, open and clandestine rescue, legislative initiatives)
• how can we expand our cultural and legal definitions of torture and genocide (both experienced by animals in the context of captivity) to include nonhumans?
• parallels between the captivity of nonhumans and humans (prisoners of war, prisoners of conscience, slavery, sex trafficking victims): what can animal rights activism learn from the successes and failures of anti-war and human rights activism?
• well-meaning captivity: the confinement of animals in homes, shelters, sanctuaries
• responding to animal captivity in the context of war, natural or man-made disasters
𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓
First panel: debate (some experts in animal rights have been invited, other contributors will join after applying).
Second panel: three or four presentations (10/15 min. each) + Q&A.
You can join one or both panels as contributor/attendee. No event fees.
Each panel will be about two hours, held on Zoom.
𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
To join the debate panel: send me by 1 November a few thoughts on why this interests you and how your background can contribute to the discussion.
To join the presentations panel: send me by 1 November a 200/250-word introduction to your project and 100/150-word bio.
To attend: no registration needed, just join the Zoom meeting.
In mid-November I’ll post here details on contributors, times, and Zoom links.
Send me your app by email or here or on LinkedIn.
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐓 & 𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐑𝐀 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎
Convener: Dr. Rimona Afana
Email: rimona.afana@yahoo.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rimonaafana/
Ecocide/Speciesism symposium booklet (pdf): https://www.dropbox.com/s/z2ivbtk3gaot6y9/Ecocide%E2%80%93Speciesism%20symposium%20booklet.pdf
University of Helsinki Environmental Humanities Month: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/researchgroups/environmental-humanities/news-events/environmental-humanities-month-2023-preliminary-program
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rimonaafana/