Overview

This book explores why animals, at some point, disappeared from the realm and scope of sociology. The role of sociology in the construction of a science of the ‘human’ has been substantial, building representations of the human sphere of life as unique. Within the sociological tradition however, animals have often been invisible, even non-existent. Through in-depth comparisons of the texts of prominent early sociologists Emile Durkheim and Edward Westermarck, Tuomivaara shows that despite this exclusion, representations of animals and human-animal relations were far more varied in early works than in the later sociological cannon. Addressing a significant gap in the interdisciplinary field of animal studies, Tuomivaara presents a close reading of the historical treatment of animals in the works of Durkheim and Westermarck to determine how the human-animal boundary was established in sociological theory. The diverse forms in which animals and ‘the animal’appear in the works of early classical sociology are charted and explored, alongside the sociological themes that bring animals into these texts. Situated in contemporary theory, from critical animal studies to posthumanism, this important book lays the groundwork for a disciplinary shift away from this sharp human-animal dualism. 

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9783030268657

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Tuomivaara's analysis is thought-provoking and might change the canonical portrayal of these classics by providing a more diverse lens into the relationships of species. ... This is indeed indispensable, as we are currently living in a climate crisis that affects the ecosystem and societies - of humans and other species - in equal manner. (Lotta Hautamaki, Sosiologia, Issue 4, 2019)

Author Information

Salla Tuomivaara is a sociologist (PhD), long-term animal advocate, NGO professional and non-fiction writer. Tuomivaara’s main research interests are animal–human dualism, the significance of the human-animal boundary and the history of the social sciences.

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