EST-1105 Animals and Society
Animals and Society is a core course of Broad and Enduring Interest for any student, regardless of major. This course explores historical and contemporary relationships between animals and
human societies. Specifically, it examines how relationships with animals can reflect and shape our social lives, culture, and how people think about themselves. The course will review the ways in which our social, economic and cultural relationships have developed and been impacted by the human-animal bond. Major topics include the domestication of animals, ethical issues in the
human animal relationship, as well as examining the role and importance of animals in a wide range of human societies through folklore, literature, art, film, religion, history, and philosophy.
Students will also explore the ways in which animals have served as metaphors for social divisions such as tribe, gender, class and race.