For the Prevention of Cruelty: The History and Legacy of Animal Rights Activism in the United StatesAnimal rights. Those two words conjure diverse but powerful images and reactions. Some nod in agreement, while others roll their eyes in contempt. Most people fall somewhat uncomfortably in the middle, between endorsement and rejection, as they struggle with the profound moral, philosophical, and legal questions provoked by the debate. Today, thousands of organizations lobby, agitate, and educate the public on issues concerning the rights and treatment of nonhumans. For the Prevention of Cruelty is the first history of organized advocacy on behalf of animals in the United States to appear in nearly a half century. Diane Beers demonstrates how the cause has shaped and reshaped itself as it has evolved within the broader social context of the shift from an industrial to a postindustrial society. Until now, the legacy of the movement in the United States has not been examined. Few Americans today perceive either the companionship or the consumption of animals in the same manner as did earlier generations. Moreover, powerful and lingering bonds connect the seemingly disparate American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of the nineteenth century and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals of today. For the Prevention of Cruelty tells an intriguing and important story that reveals society’s often changing relationship with animals through the lens of those who struggled to shepherd the public toward a greater compassion. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 35
... significantly enhanced my understanding of the post-1945 movement. Sadly, some of those who assisted me on my journey have since passed away. I honor the lives and memories of Tina Nelson, Ron Scott, Helen Jones, and Christine Stevens ...
... omission that extends from popular conceptions to academia. When it comes to the animal advocacy movement, a historical amnesia effectively erases the significant legacies today's animal activists and society as 2 RESURRECTING THE VOICE.
... significant legacies today's animal activists and society as a whole have inherited from their mostly forgotten predecessors. As we stumble uncertainly into the twenty-first century, this intriguing social justice cause marks nearly 140 ...
... significant tensions and divisions between them have, at times, undermined the unity and success of their cause. Despite animal advocacy's complex nature, long history, and impressive numbers, surprisingly few scholars, especially ...
... significance of their work and have started the process of systematically preserving materials. In no way is my digression into the tribulations of research an attempt to rationalize any shortcomings of this book; rather, it is intended ...
Contents
1 | |
19 | |
39 | |
59 | |
5 Reaching Out to the Mainstream | 91 |
6 Our Most Strenuous Protest | 119 |
7 The Road to Liberation | 147 |
Epilogue | 197 |
Notes | 203 |
Bibliography | 267 |
Index | 295 |