Expanded Key Terms

Rights regarded as belonging fundamentally to all animals.

Animal rights are not guaranteed for all animals and vary on application from individual to individual. For this reason, animal rights vary by time, place, and location in history. Various cultures throughout history have held and enacted different animal rights in their societies that change over time. Animal rights have been growing in importance as many animal species, both wild and domesticated, become threatened or endangered in the wild. Animal rights are championed by groups like PETA and reinforced through legislation for wild and domesticated animals.

The study of animals for advancement in science and other fields.

Animal studies is a discipline that is not regarded as a staple of scientific discovery by all academics. Many people still consider the behavior and interactions of animals as basic and in no need of further study. Animal studies professionals, however, understand that the interactions and societies that animals participate in and reside in are much more complicated and deserving of research and theoretical explanation.

The natural instincts within animals to hunt, find shelter, reproduce, and more. 

Animality is a simple term that is used to generalize the ability of animals to operate on instincts that may be separate from individual intentions, thoughts, or behaviors. Animality is often associated with behaviors that demonstrate violence, harm, and break mores and norms. Examples of this include cats killing rodents, some dogs being intrinsically attracted to birds, and peacocks dancing to mate.

The application of human traits or characteristics to non-human animals and objects.

Anthropomorphism is a practice that humans have naturally developed through evolution to provide more personalized interactions with animals, whether wild or domesticated. Anthropomorphism can allow humans to more easily and deeply understand interactions with various animals. Human beings anthropomorphize animals, even when animals do not display anthropomorphic traits.

The scientific study of humans and their relationships with animals in and out of society. 

Anthrozoology is important to understand the function and evolution of animals throughout history and in ecosystems. Anthrozoology looks at the intersection of society and how people interact with animals. Anthrozoology is an important scientific study that can be used to analyze human-animal relationships through the larger lens of sociological study.

A social hypothesis introduced by Edward O. Wilson in 1984 that states that all human life has a natural inclination and desire to seek out and connect with other forms of natural life. 

This hypothesis plays heavily within the understanding of human-animal relationships as it would explain why humans feel the need to incorporate animals into their lives and put animals in positions of power, importance, or purpose. The hypothesis can provide insight into why and how emotional reactions from humans can shape and be executed following interactions with pets.

Control and conquering by one group of people over another, resulting in ideological and actionable control in society by the dominant, conquering group. 

Colonialism is important in understanding human and animal relationships as colonial actions brought different animals to different societies and caused the normalization of some animals for different roles and purposes, whether social or economic. Colonialism has happened in excess throughout history across all nations in the world.

Anything people buy, make, or sell to fulfill a need or desire. 

Commodities can be goods, services, or entities, such as animals. Animals can fulfill needs and desires within people’s lives and, therefore, can be viewed as a form of commodity. Commodities can be anything from a coffee to a car to a piece of clothing.

Critical animal studies (CAS) is a field of research dealing with issues related to the exploitation and liberation of animals.

CAS advances normal animal studies and focuses research on issues regarding the continued exploitation of animals in industries such as beauty, pharmaceutical, and more. CAS understands animals as important parts of human society and capable of emotional capacity. For these reasons, CAS works to research how animals are commodified by humans rather than organic peers in society.

The shared ideals and beliefs between a human and an animal that result in a mutually beneficial relationship for both the human and animal. 

Human-animal bonds (HABs) develop over time through human-animal interactions and consistent shared principles, such as love, openness, and value within each other’s lives. HABs can overtake importance and intensity with human-to-human bonds, as many people around the globe consider their pets family or more important than some family and friends.

Any interaction between a human and an animal, wild or domesticated, in or out of society.

Human-animal interactions (HAIs) have always existed throughout history, but the form of the interaction can vary between a wild encounter and a domesticated social interaction that happens regularly. HAIs have evolved throughout history to favor fewer interactions with wild animals and more with domesticated pets. HAIs are what help develop bonds and human-animal relationships over time.

The result of human-animal interactions and human-animal bonds that develop over time, creating a mutually beneficial relationship for both the human and animal members that each upholds through action and ideology.

Human-animal relationships (HARs) can form in many ways and take on different types of relationships with various roles. Human-animal relationships can be purely social, purely economic, socioeconomic, and more. HARs are strong, develop deep emotional connections and can be as effective as human relationships.

The innate sense of self for who people are as individuals as well as peoples’ sense of self within the larger whole of society. 

Identity is an important term to understand, as it doesn’t only apply to humans but also to the identity of animals and society and their role within that identity. Identity can refer to internal identity, how an individual perceive themselves, and external identity, or how other people perceive an individual.