Resources

Animal Publics: Emotions, Empathy, Activism July 2015

Convened by the Australian Centre and the Human Rights and Animal Ethics Research Network (HRAE), the University of Melbourne.

Animal Publics, was the sixth biennial international conference of the Australasian Animal Studies Association (formerly the Australian Animal Studies Group), the conference explored the complex relationship between the public and private worlds of animals. It considered the roles played by emotions, empathy and activism in the often contradictory way in which we relate to animals in both public and private spheres. Six acclaimed international key-note speakers presented papers over the four days. Speakers from around the world offered local and global perspectives on the issues involved. Debate was stimulated through an exhibition of art works (download the catalogue (7.5Mb pdf)), film screenings and book launches.

Keynote speakers included: Una Chaudhuri, Erica Fudge, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, Timothy Pachirat, Anat Pick and Harriet Ritvo and videos of these talks are available below:

Harriet Ritvo, 'Wanting the Wild'
Keynote lecture Animal Publics conference 2015

Una Chaudhuri, 'Discretion and Diplomacy in Interspecies Performance'
Keynote lecture Animal Publics conference 2015

Erica Fudge, 'The Multiple Animal Worlds of Edward Topsell'
Keynote lecture Animal Publics conference 2015

Jeffrey Masson 'Is it possible that some animals have some emotions deeper than those of any human?'
Keynote lecture Animal Publics conference 2015

Anat Pick, Val Plumwood Lecture: 'Vegan Cinema: Looking, Eating, Letting Be'
Keynote lecture Animal Publics conference 2015