Animals and Society

Animals matter for human existence in so many ways that it is difficult to imagine the entity we call “society” without them. They figure heavily in our language, food, clothing, family structure, economy, education, entertainment, science, recreation, and other areas of social life. In this specialization, we will investigate a range of topics, many of them controversial. Although this is a sociology course, the field of human-animal studies is interdisciplinary. Many of the suggested readings come from fields outside of sociology, but this specialization emphasizes their sociological relevance throughout each course

• Account for shifting roles and statuses of animals in society and their social, cultural, and ethical impacts
• Use key human/animal studies concepts to explain animals' status in contemporary society
• Understand the significance of animals in social issue analyses
• Analyze socially constructed boundaries between humans and animals and their consequences

• Basic computer and internet skills helpful
• Ability to read course instructions in English and complete short practice activities