Exploring Re-animalisation as an Approach to Multispecies Justice: Insights and Lessons from a Farmed Animal Sanctuary in Australia

Abstract

Multispecies Justice (MSJ) is both a conceptual framework and an emerging interdisciplinary field of research engaging with and responding to exacerbating planetary crises as matters of justice. These crises would include for example climate catastrophes extinction and biodiversity loss. This thesis contributes to the ongoing investigations of MSJ by exploring re-animalisation as a practicable approach to further the aims of MSJ and as a theoretical analysis that both enriches and constructively challenges the existing MSJ framework. Re-animalisation contests the dualistic divisions of human-animal and nature-society binaries underpinning the logics of human exceptionalism. Against the human exceptionalist logic that always prioritises human wellbeing and security at the expense and sacrifice of other animals and more-than-humans through various forms of mass violence re-animlisation serves as an alternative logic that demands a redistribution of risks in ways that would see humans become more vulnerable in relation to more-than-humans by recognising and placing us as one amongst other animal species (Srinivasan 2022). My research draws on lessons and insights from a month-long ethnography at a farmed animal sanctuary in Australia to consider how the norms and relations of the sanctuary contest human exceptionalism and attempt to move humans towards re-animlisation. My study focuses on farmed animal sanctuaries given its relevance to MSJ. Critics of industrial animal agriculture have argued that these industries are harmful to humans animals and the environment and sanctuaries challenge these industrial harms in their efforts to advocate for animals. I have also chosen to study farmed animal sanctuaries as a review of relevant literature demonstrates recent growing interests amongst scholars in examining the promises and limitations of farmed animal sanctuaries in transforming human relations with other animals.