In the company of animals : a study of human-animal relationships / James Serpell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Serpell, James, 1952-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Pets--History.

Pets.

Pets--Social aspects--History.

Pet owners--History.

Pet owners.

Human-animal relationships--History.

Human-animal relationships.

History.

Pets--Social aspects.

Physical Description:

xxii, 283 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Edition:

Canto edition.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Summary:

What purpose, if any, do pets really serve? Are they simply an outlet for misplaced love? Or four-legged friends who help us to satisfy vital emotional needs? Whatever they are, when we elevate pets to the status of social companions, we undermine the distinction between human and non-human. In other words, pets force us to confront the moral contradictions inherent in our treatment of animals in general. Pursuing this idea to its logical conclusion, the author uncovers a fascinating and disturbing trail of myths, evasions and double standards which humans have used since earliest times to justify their subjugation of nature and other life forms. Through an exploration of the phenomenon of pet-keeping across history and between cultures, this thought-provoking study reassesses our relationships with animals and the natural world. This new edition of In the Company of Animals has been substantially revised and updated to take into account developments in research since 1986.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0521577799

OCLC:

34543724