I am a section editor of a Handbook of animal politics under contract with Oxford University Press. The lead editors are Matthew Perry and Sara Van Goozen, and the other section editors are Alasdair Cochrane, Steve Cooke, and Angie Pepper. Here’s a description of the project:
How should contemporary political theories, institutional structures, and political processes accommodate nonhuman animals? How might political concepts be used in debates about what we owe to animals? And what constitutes a just socio-political relationship with a nonhuman animal? Until the last two decades, few scholars thought that questions of this sort were worth addressing. The ballooning field of Animal Politics – the study of the socio-political status animals should have in our societies – has proven otherwise.
The Oxford Handbook of Animal Politics will be the first comprehensive volume of its kind in this field, one which seeks to cement the enduring relevance and importance of Animal Politics for decades to come. The handbook brings together more than 46 scholars working in this growing area from across the world, including both the field’s foremost thinkers and most promising early-career researchers. Its primary aims are twofold. First, it aims to gather together in a single volume a complete review of the work in animal politics to date. Second, it aims to shape the field for the next decade and beyond, by critically evaluating key contributions, emphasising areas for future research and impact, and, crucially, advancing novel arguments in its own right. As such, the handbook will provide an authoritative resource for education, a springboard for students and academics entering the field anew, and a comprehensive point of reference for established scholars alike.
The handbook is organised into four thematic sections:
- Part 1: The Political Status of Animals. Edited by Alasdair Cochrane. This part focuses on the questions of: Who can engage in politics? What kind of status and abilities are needed? And what is politics for?
- Part 2: Animals and Political Theories. Edited by Josh Milburn. This part explores how major theories have traditionally addressed animals and how those theories have been or might be reimagined.
- Part 3: Animals and Contemporary Political Concepts. Edited by Angie Pepper. This part examines core political concepts and their implications for animals, like democracy, sovereignty, and legitimacy.
- Part 4: Applied Animal Politics. Edited by Steve Cooke. This part examines specific applied issues including policies, institutional structures, and contemporary political challenges involving animals.
The volume will not only represent the best thinking in the field, but also showcase its diversity and pluralism. The intended audience is students and academics in politics, philosophy, law, and the broader humanities and social sciences. However, given the scope of the volume, it will also be a valuable resource for a broad range of scholars and students working in a variety of disciplines, as well as animal advocates and professionals working in animal-related policy.
Josh Milburn 