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The Future Of Research Into Relationships Between People And Their Animal Companions, Boris M. Levinson

Human and Animal Bonding Collection

In sharp contrast to prevalent public attitudes of 20 years ago, the field of animal-human relationships is now respected as a legitimate area of scientific investigation. However, it has not yet evolved into a full-fledged discipline: a specific term for this discipline, a body of theory, and a methodology of its own must still be developed. This methodology should make use of both the intuitive and scientific approaches in order to encompass the full richness of animal-human interaction. Four main areas of investigation would be fruitful at this point: {1) the role of animals in various human cultures and ethnic …