Barbara J. King, Emerita Professor of Anthropology, William & Mary
 

In this illustrated talk, biological anthropologist and science writer Barbara J. King discusses the opportunities and obstacles of working towards compassion for other-than-human animals in a world still largely steeped in human exceptionalism. Using as a springboard her newest book Animals' Best Friends: How to Put Compassion to Work in Captivity and in the Wild, Barbara considers animals in five contexts: the wild, in our homes, in zoos, in biomedical laboratories, and animals thought to be food. How does an understanding of animal cognition and emotion enhance scholarship on, and activism for, animals in these various spaces? In what ways do scholarship on animals and activism for animals align, in what ways might they pull against each other, and how does our use of language about animals enhance or constrain our efforts in each? This talk will take up, whenever possible, the life experiences of individual animals ranging from monkeys, cats, and cows to spiders and octopus.

Philip Tedeschi, University of Denver

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The word humane began as a variant for the word human. Born of the Latin, humanus, humane originated as an alternative word to human. Over time, the word was distinguished from its roots to include compassion and consideration for others. Since its first known use in the mid 1500’s, the word has further evolved to include the treatment of animals. Given that the word’s origin is so closely linked to humans and humanity, it is notable that we consider the treatment of animals a part of what defines us as human beings. 

This presentation will highlight the work of the Institute for Human- Animal Connection (IHAC) at the Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver. IHAC was the first US Human- Animal Bond Academic Center oriented out of the social sciences, distinguishing its perspective from other academic centers oriented out of veterinary medicine. A Humane Community, as defined by (IHAC), is characterized by the presence of leadership, institutions, programs and policies working collaboratively across systems to create and implement sustainable human, animal, and environmental welfare. What are our responsibilities as a human being to our communities and should these include consideration for other animals? Through our relationships with other animals and nature we can rethink and remember, even redefine what it means to be human? With emphasis on social science informed and intersectional theories of risk and resilience, social support, social capital, prevention science, health and wellness, interspecies justice and one-health/welfare this presentation will examine opportunities and critical considerations for deepening our relationship with other non-humans.  To be human offers the opportunity to be humane; and to be humane we must consider our responsibility to be compassionate towards others, including animals. 

Interspecies Internet is a multidisciplinary global think-tank to encourage the acceleration of Interspecies Communication with 2800+ members, including leading sector professionals. A primary premise of the project is to link interspecies communication with artificial intelligence and machine learning methods. 

The Interspecies Internet’s mission is to encourage, explore and facilitate interfaces for interspecies communication and approaches for deciphering the communication of non-human animals. With the aim to positively impact species conservation, welfare, empathy, compassion, enrichment, sustainability, and understanding, it brings together a multidisciplinary group drawn from the sciences, arts and humanities in a rich collaborative forum to advance the understanding and appreciation of the mental lives and intelligence of the diverse species with which we share our planet.

Here we will explore the project, its status and aspirations and hear from some of our key members exploring case studies on decoding, deciphering, and exploring multidisciplinary approaches to Interspecies Communication

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Participants:

Jeremy Coller, Jeremy Coller Foundation 

Vinton G. Cerf, Google 

Peter Gabriel, Musician and activist

Neil Gershenfeld, MIT

Diana Reiss, Hunter College, CUNY

Con Slobodchikoff, Zoolingua, Inc. & Professor of Biology Emeritus, Northern Arizona University

Irene Pepperberg, Harvard University

David Sulzer, Columbia University

Human-Animals Studies: Development, Problematics, Trajectories

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The panel will discuss the state of the field of human-animal studies focusing on issues such as the challenges inherent in studying animals and their relationship with us, its location within the institutional structure of universities, and its relation to animal advocacy and policies.
 

Facilitator:
Kenneth Shapiro, Animals and Society Institute

Panelists:
Nuria Almiron, Universitat Pompeu Fabra

Leslie Irvine, University of Colorado Boulder

Robert Mitchell, Eastern Kentucky University

Jessica Ullrich, University of Fine Arts, Münster

בחלקו הראשון של המושב, נתאר בקצרה פעילות הקהילה האקדמית ליחסי אדם-חיה מאז הקמתה, ונציג סקירה של תחום הידע מזווית גלובלית ולוקלית. חלקו השני של המושב יכלול דיון עם חוקרים מרכזיים בתחום, אשר ישתפו מניסיונם וממחקריהם. הדיון יתמקד במאפיינים המקומיים הייחודיים של קשרי אדם-חיה בישראל בכלל ובאקדמיה הישראלית בפרט; באתגרים ובהזדמנויות שטומן בחובו מחקר אינטרדיסציפלינרי בתחום; ובאופן שבו ידע אקדמי עשוי לחצות את גבולות האקדמיה ולחולל שינוי חברתי.

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הנחייה:
ענת בן יונתן ואורית הירש-מציאולס

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בהשתתפות:

אנה זמנסקי, אוניברסיטת חיפה

יוסף טרקל, אוניברסיטת תל אביב

דפנה שיר-ורטש, מכללת אחווה

שירה שמואלי, אוניברסיטת תל אביב

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