TY - CHAP
T1 - Introducing multispecies sociology for the new normal
AU - Sutton, Zoei
AU - Browne, Josephine
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Sociology as a discipline arose in response to concerns regarding the impacts of modernity on the experiences of human social life. As a discipline, we share a proud history of empathic engagement, rigorous research, and the continuous development of theoretical frameworks. This has positioned sociologists to respond to a wide range of social ills, inequities, trends and concerns, all of which has long linked the discipline with efforts toward increasing justice on local, national and global scales. However, the discipline has overwhelmingly focussed on human inequities, ignoring the many other creatures who also share the social world. In the current context of climate change, intensifying disasters and the global Covid-19 pandemic, which shape and are shaped by human entanglements with other animals and the environment, this oversight must be addressed. In particular, we argue that reimagining human relations with other species is non negotiable as we grapple with what a ‘new normal’ might look like in this context of constant upheaval. This chapter explores the concept of ‘the new normal’, arguing that Multispecies Sociology holds immense promise to inform a ‘new normal’ that allows humans to live less badly with other animals and the environment, and outlines the structure of the manuscript. The chapters in this book hold a mirror to our multispecies entanglements showing us what is, what must be unlearned, and where there are opportunities for change.
AB - Sociology as a discipline arose in response to concerns regarding the impacts of modernity on the experiences of human social life. As a discipline, we share a proud history of empathic engagement, rigorous research, and the continuous development of theoretical frameworks. This has positioned sociologists to respond to a wide range of social ills, inequities, trends and concerns, all of which has long linked the discipline with efforts toward increasing justice on local, national and global scales. However, the discipline has overwhelmingly focussed on human inequities, ignoring the many other creatures who also share the social world. In the current context of climate change, intensifying disasters and the global Covid-19 pandemic, which shape and are shaped by human entanglements with other animals and the environment, this oversight must be addressed. In particular, we argue that reimagining human relations with other species is non negotiable as we grapple with what a ‘new normal’ might look like in this context of constant upheaval. This chapter explores the concept of ‘the new normal’, arguing that Multispecies Sociology holds immense promise to inform a ‘new normal’ that allows humans to live less badly with other animals and the environment, and outlines the structure of the manuscript. The chapters in this book hold a mirror to our multispecies entanglements showing us what is, what must be unlearned, and where there are opportunities for change.
KW - Animal Companionship
KW - Covid 19
KW - Lockdown
UR - https://www.routledge.com/Human-Animal-Relationships-in-Times-of-Pandemic-and-Climate-Crisis-Multispecies-Sociology-for-the-New-Normal/Browne-Sutton/p/book/9781032180397
M3 - Chapter
SN - 9781032180397
SN - 9781032191485
T3 - Multispecies Encounters
SP - 1
EP - 10
BT - Human–animal relationships in times of pandemic and climate crises
A2 - Browne, Josephine
A2 - Sutton, Zoei
PB - Routledge, Taylor & Francis
CY - United Kingdom
ER -