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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Animal Studies

2012

Identity

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Sociology And Anthrozoology: Symbolic Interactionist Contributions, Leslie Irvine Jan 2012

Sociology And Anthrozoology: Symbolic Interactionist Contributions, Leslie Irvine

Human and Animal Bonding Collection

This essay examines the sociological contributions to anthrozoology, focusing on research from the United States that employs a symbolic interactionist perspective. In particular, the work of Arluke and Sanders highlights the importance of understanding the meanings that animals hold for people. Using a selective review of their research, this essay outlines how a focus on understanding meaning can inform anthrozoological research. Arluke’s research on animal abuse reveals how harm must be defined in context. Sanders’s research on canine–human relationships documents how people come to understand companion dogs as persons. Both bodies of work rely on careful observation and listening to …

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Confrontations And Donation: Encounters Between Homeless Pet Owners And The Public, Leslie Irvine, Jesse M. Smith, Kristina N. Kahl Dec 2011

Confrontations And Donation: Encounters Between Homeless Pet Owners And The Public, Leslie Irvine, Jesse M. Smith, Kristina N. Kahl

Leslie Irvine, PhD

This study examines the interactions between homeless pet owners and the domiciled public with a focus on how the activities of pet ownership help construct positive personal identities. Homeless people are often criticized for having pets. They counter these attacks using open and contained responses to stigmatization. More often, they redefine pet ownership to incorporate how they provide for their animals, challenging definitions that require a physical home. Homeless pet owners thus create a positive moral identity by emphasizing that they feed their animals first and give them freedom that the pets of the domiciled lack. Through what we call …

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