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Sociology of Religion Commons

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

Animal Studies

SIT Graduate Institute/SIT Study Abroad

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

2016

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in Sociology of Religion

Dharma Dogs: A Narrative Approach To Understanding The Connection Of Sentience Between Humans And Canines, Anna Caldwell Oct 2016

Dharma Dogs: A Narrative Approach To Understanding The Connection Of Sentience Between Humans And Canines, Anna Caldwell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

India has the highest population of stray dogs in the world1. Dharamsala, a cross-cultural community in the north Indian Himalayan foothills, is home to a number of particularly overweight and happy canines. However, the street dogs of Dharamsala are not an accurate representation of the state of stay dogs across India. This paper explores why this may be through narrative stories about the day-to-day interactions between humans and dogs. The following research addresses religious motives as well as the lack thereof.