Sacred, Symbolic, and Contested

Gregory S. Szarycz is a cultural sociologist whose interdisciplinary work spans human-animal studies, ritual, and symbolic identity. He has written about animal metaphors in the Old Testament in Between the Species and animal performativity in Brill’s Theorizing Animals (2011).

• ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsList of Tables and FiguresIntroductionPart 1: SacredIntroduction to Part 11 Sacred Souls, Cursed Beings: Unveiling the Treatment of Animals across World Religions1 Religious Roots of Utilitarian Treatment of Animals?2 Ancient Egyptian Beliefs and Their Reverence for Animals3 Separatism or Harmony with Nature? Re-evaluating Prehistoric Ideologies and Human–Environmental Relationships4 Confronting Taboos5 Ceremonial Purity6 Slaughter2 Traditional Folk Beliefs and the Role of Animals in Polish Rural Rites3 From Tradition to Modernity: the Evolution of Ritual Slaughter in Islamic Culture1 Commands Regarding Ritual Slaughter of Animals2 Controversies Regarding Dhabihah Ritual Slaughter3 The Debate Regarding Ritual Animal Slaughter in France and Worldwide4 Of Gods and Gills: a Historical Exploration of Fish in Culture1 From the Sacred to the Profane2 Ancient Gods3 Twilight of the Ancient GodsPart 2: SymbolicIntroduction to Part 25 Between Rationalism and Sentimentalism: Philosophical Considerations Regarding Ethical Norms Concerning Animals1 Biological Chauvinism and the Concept of Speciesism2 Anthropocentrism and Hominism in Philosophy3 New Bio-ethics: a Paradigm Shift4 Final Thoughts6 From Companions to Companionship: Navigating Human–Animal Interactions and the Rise of Animaltronics in Japan1 Philosophical Systems and Religious Influences on Human–Animal Relations in Japan2 The Evolution of Practices Related to Animal Slaughter3 Companion Animals in Contemporary Japan4 Robotic Animals—Continuity in the Human–Animal Relationship?5 Animals Caught in the Trap of Anthropomorphism7 Horse and Human: a Partnership through the Ages1 A Pragmatic Alliance: a Historical Perspective on Human– Horse Interaction2 The Evolution of Breeding Practices8 The Snake in the Tradition of Cultures and Religions: an Outline of Selected Issues1 The Snake in Mythologies, Beliefs, and Symbolism2 The Snake as Life Symbol9 Animal Insults: Why Do We Refer to Animals When Insulting Someone?1 Linguistic Examples2 General Conclusions3 Strategic-Manipulative Interpretation4 Flat Ontology and Dark Ecology5 Non-dualistic LanguagePart 3: ContestedIntroduction to Part 310 The Era of Defaunation: Civilization at War with Animals1 Animals and Our Ancestors2 Current Efforts to Safeguard Biodiversity3 The “Great Acceleration” in the Loss of Biological Diversity4 Scientists’ Wake-up Call to Humanity and the Extent of Animal Decline5 The Causes of Species Extinction6 Planetary Boundaries and Species Extinction7 A World on the Edge8 The Great Killing11 Paws and Hooves in the Polar Snow: Careless Compassion in Extreme Environments?1 The Great Antarctic Quest: the English Expedition Takes Shape2 Pain, Suffering, and Death3 Discussion and Conclusions12 Animals in Sport and Entertainment: a Cultural Lens on Controversial Encounters1 Horses in Sport and Recreation2 Canine Sports and Activities3 The Global History and Culture of Horse Racing4 Greyhound Racing and Unusual Animal Races5 Ethical Concerns and Training Practices6 From Ritual to Brutality: Historical Animal Combat7 Rodeo: Tradition, Sport, and Contention8 Hunting, Falconry, and Human–Animal Partnerships9 From Pigeon Shooting to Modern Clay Target Sports10 Exotic Pets and Extreme Breeds11 Zoos, Aquariums, and Animal Captivity12 Circus Animals and the Decline of Animal Acts13 From Groundhog Day to Cultural Folklore14 Conclusion: toward Ethical Entertainment13 The Plea for Life: Animal Mercy Rights Examined through the Corrida de Toros1 Pardoning Animals in History2 Clemency Law during Corrida de Toros3 Those That Survived4 Is Bullfighting a Cultural Phenomenon?5 Concerts, Cabarets, and Corridas14 Animal Welfare in China: Exploring Philosophical Foundations and Legal Frameworks1 Animals in Chinese Philosophy2 Legal Protection of Animals in China3 People’s Republic of China Wildlife Protection Law4 Amendment to the Wildlife Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China5 Concluding ThoughtsConclusion1 Integrative Perspectives on Human–Animal Relations2 Rethinking Ethical Frameworks and Cultural Narratives3 Implications for Environmental and Social Policy4 Future Research Directions5 Concluding ReflectionsBibliographyIndex