Fiona Probyn-Rapsey – författare

Do depictions of crazy cat ladies obscure more sinister structural violence against animals hoarded in factory farms?Highlighting the frequent pathologization of animal lovers and animal rights activists, this book examines how the “madness” of our relationships with animals intersects with the “madness” of taking animals seriously. The essays collected in this volume argue that “animaladies” are expressive of political and psychological discontent, and the characterization of animal advocacy as mad or “crazy” distracts attention from broader social unease regarding human exploitation of animal life.While allusions to madness are both subtle and overt, they are also very often gendered, thought to be overly sentimental with an added sense that emotions are being directed at the wrong species. Animaladies are obstacles for the political uptake of interest in animal issues—as the intersections between this volume and established feminist scholarship show, the fear of being labeled unreasonable or mad still has political currency.

Do depictions of crazy cat ladies obscure more sinister structural violence against animals hoarded in factory farms?Highlighting the frequent pathologization of animal lovers and animal rights activists, this book examines how the “madness” of our relationships with animals intersects with the “madness” of taking animals seriously. The essays collected in this volume argue that “animaladies” are expressive of political and psychological discontent, and the characterization of animal advocacy as mad or “crazy” distracts attention from broader social unease regarding human exploitation of animal life.While allusions to madness are both subtle and overt, they are also very often gendered, thought to be overly sentimental with an added sense that emotions are being directed at the wrong species. Animaladies are obstacles for the political uptake of interest in animal issues—as the intersections between this volume and established feminist scholarship show, the fear of being labeled unreasonable or mad still has political currency.

Cane Toads is about good intentions, unintended consequences and of simple acts leading to catastrophic outcomes. It is about scientists so committed to solving a problem, serving their country, their leaders and the industry that employed them, that they are blinkered to adverse impacts.

19th-century menageries reflected a human capacity for fighting, aggression and dominance over nature, and echoed a cultural fascination with war and colonial expansion. Their legacy embedded in society a belief in the human right to exploit other animal species – a belief yet to be defeated.

The term Anthropocene is a useful device for drawing attention to the devastations wreaked by anthropocentrism and for advancing a relational model for human and non-human life. As anthropogenic change affects the more-than-human world, we must accept responsibility for the damage we have caused, and the debt we owe to non-human species.

Obaysch: A Hippopotamus in Victorian London is the story of Obaysch the hippopotamus, the first ‘star’ animal to be exhibited in the London Zoo. Uncovering the circumstances of Obaysch's capture and exhibition, this book investigates the notion of a 'star' animal, as well as the cultural value that Obaysch accumulated.