Lisa Kemmerer | Montana State University Billings (original) (raw)
The Introduction for each of my books by Lisa Kemmerer
Animals and the Environment: Advocacy, Activism, and the Quest for Common Ground, 2015
Contemporary Earth and animal activists rarely collaborate, perhaps because environmentalists foc... more Contemporary Earth and animal activists rarely collaborate, perhaps because environmentalists focus on species and ecosystems, while animal advocates look to the individual, and neither seems to have much respect for the other. This diverse collection of essays highlights common ground between earth and animal advocates, most notably the protection of wildlife and personal dietary choice.
If earth and animal advocates move beyond philosophical differences and resultant divergent priorities, turning attention to shared goals, both will be more effective – and both animals and the environment will benefit. Given the undeniable seriousness of the environmental problems that we face, including climate change and species extinction, it is essential that activists join forces. Drawing on a wide range of issues and disciplines, ranging from wildlife management, hunting, and the work of NGOs to ethics, ecofeminism, religion and animal welfare, this volume provides a stimulating collection of ideas and challenges for anyone else who cares about the environment or animals.
Bear Necessities: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Sanctuary, and Advocacy, 2015
What is it like to rehabilitate sun bears in the rainforests of Malaysia? Why were sloth bears tr... more What is it like to rehabilitate sun bears in the rainforests of Malaysia? Why were sloth bears trained to dance? What does Chinese medicine have to do with black bears in North America?
Skilled grassroots activists, dedicated sanctuary attendants, determined scholars--those working to protect the world's eight bear species from Viet Nam to Vermont--come together in Bear Necessities to explore pressures that threaten the world's remaining bears, and to offer a tapestry of possibilities for protecting and preserving these endangered yet much-loved beings. This diverse collection of approachable, engaging essays is an important new addition to literature for those interested in learning more wilderness and wildlife around the world, especially bears.
Eating Earth: Environmental Ethics and Dietary Choice, 2015
Exploring the environmental effects of animal agriculture, fishing, and hunting, Eating Earth exp... more Exploring the environmental effects of animal agriculture, fishing, and hunting, Eating Earth exposes critical common ground between earth and animal advocacy. The first chapter (animal agriculture) examines greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, manure and dead zones, freshwater depletion, deforestation, predator control, land and use--including the ranching industries public lands subsidies. Chapter two first examines whether or not the consumption of fish is healthy and outlines morally relevant aspects of fish physiology, then scrutinizes the fishing industry, documenting the "silent collapse" of ocean ecosystems and calling attention to the indiscriminate nature of hooks and nets, including the problem of bycatch and what this means for endangered species and fragile seascapes. Chapter three outlines the historic link between the U. S. Government, wildlife management, and hunters, then systematically unravels common beliefs about sport hunting, such as the belief that hunters are essential to wildlife conservation, that contemporary hunting qualifies as a tradition, and that hunting is merciful, economical, or rooted in "fair chase."
At the end of each chapter, Kemmerer examines possible solutions to problems presented, such as sustainable meats, organic and local, grass fed, aquaculture, new fishing technologies, and enhanced regulations. Eating Earth offers a concise examination of the environmental effects of dietary choice, clearly presenting the many reasons why dietary choice ought to be front and center for environmentalists. Kemmerer's writing, supported by nearly 80 graphs and summary slides, is clear, straightforward, and punctuated with wry humor.
Sister Species: Women, Animals, and Social Justice, 2011
Sister Species addresses interconnections between speciesism, sexism, racism, and homophobia, cla... more Sister Species addresses interconnections between speciesism, sexism, racism, and homophobia, clarifying why social justice activists in the twenty-first century must identify and challenge these various intersecting forms of oppression simultaneously. Through courageous, gripping personal narratives from women who have personally explored links of oppression between human beings and nonhuman animals, Sister Species examines exploitative enterprises such as cockfighting, factory farming, vivisection, and the bushmeat trade. Sister Species demonstrates with painful clarity why every activist must be on board with other social justice concerns.
Animals and World Religions, 2012
Despite increasing public attention to animal suffering, little seems to have changed: Human bein... more Despite increasing public attention to animal suffering, little seems to have changed: Human beings continue to exploit billions of animals in factory farms, medical laboratories, and elsewhere. In this wide-ranging and perceptive study, Lisa Kemmerer shows how spiritual writings and teachings in seven major religious traditions can help people to consider their ethical obligations toward other creatures.
Dr. Kemmerer examines the role of nonhuman animals in scripture and myth, in the lives of religious exemplars, and by drawing on foundational philosophical and moral teachings. She begins with a study of indigenous traditions around the world, then focuses on the religions of India (Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain) and China (Daoism and Confucianism), and finally, religions of the Middle East (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). At the end of each chapter, Kemmerer explores the inspiring lives and work of contemporary animal advocates who are motivated by a personal religious commitment.
Animals and World Religions demonstrates that rethinking how we treat nonhuman animals is essential for anyone claiming one of the world's great religions.
Primate People: Saving Nonhuman Primates through Education, Advocacy, and Sanctuary, 2012
In the last 30 years the bushmeat trade has led to the slaughter of nearly 90 percent of West Afr... more In the last 30 years the bushmeat trade has led to the slaughter of nearly 90 percent of West Africa’s bonobos, perhaps our closest relatives, and has recently driven Miss Waldron’s red colobus monkey to extinction. Earth was once rich with primates, but every species—except one—is now extinct or endangered because of one primate—Homo sapiens. How have our economic and cultural practices pushed our cousins toward destruction? Would we care more about their fate if we knew something of their individual lives and sufferings? Would we help them if we understood how our choices threaten their existence? This anthology helps to answer these questions.
The first section of Primate People introduces forces that threaten nonhuman primates, such as the entertainment and “pet” industries, the bushmeat trade, habitat destruction, and logging. The second section exposes the exploitation of primates in research facilities, including the painful memories of an undercover agent, and suggests models of more enlightened scientific methods. The final section tells the stories of those who lobby for change, educate communities, and tenderly care for our displaced cousins in sanctuaries.
Sometimes shocking and disturbing, sometimes poignant and encouraging, Primate People always draws the reader into the lives of nonhuman primates. Activists around the world reveal the antics and pleasures of monkeys, the tendencies and idiosyncrasies of chimpanzees, and the sufferings and fears of macaques. Charming, difficult, sensitive—these testimonies demonstrate that nonhuman primates and human beings are, indeed, closely related. Woven into the anthology’s lucid narratives are the stories of how we harm and create the conditions that endanger primates, and what we can and must do to prevent their ongoing suffering and fast-approaching extinction.
Speaking Up for Animals: An Anthology of Women's Voices, 2011
Speaking Up for Animals highlights eighteen courageous members of a growing international animal ... more Speaking Up for Animals highlights eighteen courageous members of a growing international animal advocacy movement that is overwhelmingly powered by women. These remarkable activists take us with them as they lift factory farmed chickens and cows from quagmires of filth, free gigantic sea lions caught in fishing gear and secure undercover footage of dogs crying for mercy on stainless steel vivisection tables. In the process, these dedicated women expose the many ways that most of us are complicit in the suffering and exploitation of animals, and creatively suggest a variety of ways in which we might help bring change.
In Search of Consistency: Ethics and Animals, 2006
In Search of Consistency stands at the intersection of animal ethics, environmental ethics, and r... more In Search of Consistency stands at the intersection of animal ethics, environmental ethics, and religious ethics. The book systematically examines the work of influential scholars Tom Regan (animal rights), Peter Singer (utilitarian ethics), Andrew Linzey (theologian), and Paul Taylor (environmental ethics), then explores ethics across six world religions (Indigenous faiths, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). This monumental, ground-breaking volume explores revolutionary ideas of the past, introduces key thinkers, and examines "the sanctity of life," and introduces an intriguing moral theory, "The Minimize Harm Maxim." This maxim is rooted in the time-honored moral ideals of impartiality and consistency. This book questions what it means to be human and challenges our assumed place in the universe.
Articles by Lisa Kemmerer
Les ateliers de l'éthique / The Ethics Forum , 2014
This article explores whether or not animal activists who engage in violence might legitimately b... more This article explores whether or not animal activists who engage in violence might legitimately be labelled “terrorists.” To this end, I examine common assumptions concerning the use of pre-emptive counter-violence in order to defend the comparatively defenceless. Through the use of casuistry, this essay compares specific hypothetical instances of killing comparatively defenceless individuals, beginning with scenarios that offer a clear general consensus, moving to more controversial cases. This indicates that contemporary violence on behalf of animal liberation, often assumed to be rash and radical, is actually quite restrained. The intent of this paper is not to make claims as to how liberationists ought to behave, but rather to highlight egregious inconsistencies in our attitudes toward violence on behalf of those who are comparatively defenceless.
Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy. Special Issue: “Wild Animals and Justice” , 2016
The oceans and seas of the world provide a hundred and sixty-eight times the volume of living spa... more The oceans and seas of the world provide a hundred and sixty-eight times the volume of living space that is provided by terrestrial ecosystems. This makes it tempting to conclude that there are “plenty of fish in the sea.” Indeed, we have tended to behave as if the oceans hold an unlimited amount of sea life, and we continue to consume as if no amount of fishing or eating of sea life will harm ocean ecosystems. Moreover, while animal agriculture comes increasingly under fire for environmental damage and cruelty, the environmental degradation and the sufferings of fishes tend to slip under the wire.
As information and moral deliberation lead many informed people away from the consumption of farmed and hunted animals, dairy, and eggs—on behalf of the environment and because of unconscionable suffering of animals—some people shy away from a vegan diet, tending toward piscatorial fare, eschewing all flesh except that of sea life. This article explores fisheries, fishes, and foundational moral theories to analyze critically whether or not piscatorial leanings are a reasoned and informed choice for environmentalists or those who are otherwise concerned about making choices in the supermarket or in restaurants that cause unnecessary suffering.
Between the Species, 2018
Exploring sex ratios of anymal activist organization leadership, the Hall of Fame, and the larges... more Exploring sex ratios of anymal activist organization leadership, the Hall of Fame, and the largest conference in the United States provides evidence of sexism and male privilege in the United States anymal activist movement.
Society and Animals , 2006
This paper is an exploration of verbal activism and animal liberation, starting with ... more This paper is an exploration of verbal activism and animal liberation, starting with a brief explanation of Wittgenstein’s (1953) views on the nature and role of language. A discussion of lexical gaps, linguistic change, and verbal activism follows: The paper introduces the word, “anymal,” to fill a lexical gap and to provide a form of verbal activism.
Satya: Vegetarianism, Environmentalism, Animal Advocacy, and Social Justice
Activism: Consistency and Compromise
American Behavioral Scientist, 2019
Ecofeminism critiques the common Greco-diaspora worldview, which focuses on divisions and hierarc... more Ecofeminism critiques the common Greco-diaspora worldview, which focuses on divisions and hierarchy, and is shared by millions of people in industrialized nations. Not surprisingly, given this worldview, environmental and animal activists are keenly aware of their differences, both philosophical and practical, and therefore envision their causes and their work as separate and distinct. Asian philosophy, indigenous traditions, and science offer alternative visions, presenting a more interrelational, interconnected, interdependent, unified, and egalitarian sense of the universe. If this alternative worldview is viable for earth and animal advocacy, it must shed light on pressing problems and indicate workable solutions, particularly with regard to the most pressing problems of the day. When applied to climate change and population/consumption, this alternative vision of an interrelational, interconnected, interdependent, unified, and egalitarian universe proves effective for identifying core concerns that are shared and indicating viable joint solutions.
Animal Liberation Philosophy and Policy Journal , 2004
This paper explores subsistence traditions that entail killing nonhuman animals among indigenous ... more This paper explores subsistence traditions that entail killing nonhuman animals among indigenous peoples of North America. In light of historic tradition, contemporary practices, and treaties that guarantee these practices, this article challenges the legitimacy of laws guaranteeing such practices. The paper begins with an examination of indigenous spiritual traditions, then presents a concrete example from Washington State, complete with treaties, legal issues, and court rulings. The definition of "tradition" is critical to the argument of the paper, and is used as a light for exploring whether or not contemporary hunting, fishing, and trapping are rightly considered "traditional."
Ethics, Place, & Environment, 2004
Exploring both sides of a contemporary conflict over whaling in Washington State, this paper expl... more Exploring both sides of a contemporary conflict over whaling in Washington State, this paper explores philosophic consistency and consistency between philosophy and action.
The introduction reiterates the importance of consistency for the Western philosophic tradition, offering relevant background information concerning an unresolved conflict over whaling in Washington State. Part I exposes philosophic inconsistency for contemporary whalers in Washington State and provides contrasting examples of similar situations where consistency has been maintained. Part II discusses philosophic inconsistencies entailed for non-whalers if whaling is permitted in Washington State.
I conclude by noting the limitations of my work, as well as possible far-reaching implications.
Transgenic Research 23.2, 2014
Efforts to advance our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases involve the creation chi-meric... more Efforts to advance our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases involve the creation chi-meric organisms from human neural stem cells and primate embryos-known as prenatal chimeras. The existence of potential mentally complex beings with human and non-human neural apparatus raises fundamental questions as to the ethical permissibility of chimeric research and the moral status of the creatures it creates. Even as bioethicists find fewer reasons to be troubled by most types of chimeric organisms, social attitudes towards the non-human world are often influenced by religious beliefs. In this paper scholars representing eight major religious traditions provide a brief commentary on a hypothetical case concerning the development and use of prenatal human-animal chimeric primates in medical research. These commentaries reflect the plurality and complexity within and between religious discourses of our relationships with other species. Views on the moral status and permissibility of research on neural human animal chimeras vary. The authors provide an introduction to those who seek a better understanding of how faith-based perspectives might enter into biomedical ethics and public discourse towards forms of biomedical research that involves chimeric organisms.
This issue of Green Theory and Praxis came about as a response to conversations regar... more This issue of Green Theory and Praxis came about as a response to conversations regarding whether ecofeminism had adequately engaged with queer theory and also the converse, whether queer theory has engaged ecofeminism. At times these two bodies of knowledge have heavily influenced one another but the potential of combining both fields has sadly often been overlooked. This issue seeks to bridge this divide. However, after receiving a variety of submissions we realized that for this edition to achieve our goal that it had to move away from just a queering of ecofeminism. Instead we realized that it needed to address the environmental justice and animal liberation movements more sweepingly.
Human Architecture Journal of the Sociology of Self Knowledge, Jun 22, 2009
Human Architecture Journal of the Sociology of Self Knowledge, 2008
Animals and the Environment: Advocacy, Activism, and the Quest for Common Ground, 2015
Contemporary Earth and animal activists rarely collaborate, perhaps because environmentalists foc... more Contemporary Earth and animal activists rarely collaborate, perhaps because environmentalists focus on species and ecosystems, while animal advocates look to the individual, and neither seems to have much respect for the other. This diverse collection of essays highlights common ground between earth and animal advocates, most notably the protection of wildlife and personal dietary choice.
If earth and animal advocates move beyond philosophical differences and resultant divergent priorities, turning attention to shared goals, both will be more effective – and both animals and the environment will benefit. Given the undeniable seriousness of the environmental problems that we face, including climate change and species extinction, it is essential that activists join forces. Drawing on a wide range of issues and disciplines, ranging from wildlife management, hunting, and the work of NGOs to ethics, ecofeminism, religion and animal welfare, this volume provides a stimulating collection of ideas and challenges for anyone else who cares about the environment or animals.
Bear Necessities: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Sanctuary, and Advocacy, 2015
What is it like to rehabilitate sun bears in the rainforests of Malaysia? Why were sloth bears tr... more What is it like to rehabilitate sun bears in the rainforests of Malaysia? Why were sloth bears trained to dance? What does Chinese medicine have to do with black bears in North America?
Skilled grassroots activists, dedicated sanctuary attendants, determined scholars--those working to protect the world's eight bear species from Viet Nam to Vermont--come together in Bear Necessities to explore pressures that threaten the world's remaining bears, and to offer a tapestry of possibilities for protecting and preserving these endangered yet much-loved beings. This diverse collection of approachable, engaging essays is an important new addition to literature for those interested in learning more wilderness and wildlife around the world, especially bears.
Eating Earth: Environmental Ethics and Dietary Choice, 2015
Exploring the environmental effects of animal agriculture, fishing, and hunting, Eating Earth exp... more Exploring the environmental effects of animal agriculture, fishing, and hunting, Eating Earth exposes critical common ground between earth and animal advocacy. The first chapter (animal agriculture) examines greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, manure and dead zones, freshwater depletion, deforestation, predator control, land and use--including the ranching industries public lands subsidies. Chapter two first examines whether or not the consumption of fish is healthy and outlines morally relevant aspects of fish physiology, then scrutinizes the fishing industry, documenting the "silent collapse" of ocean ecosystems and calling attention to the indiscriminate nature of hooks and nets, including the problem of bycatch and what this means for endangered species and fragile seascapes. Chapter three outlines the historic link between the U. S. Government, wildlife management, and hunters, then systematically unravels common beliefs about sport hunting, such as the belief that hunters are essential to wildlife conservation, that contemporary hunting qualifies as a tradition, and that hunting is merciful, economical, or rooted in "fair chase."
At the end of each chapter, Kemmerer examines possible solutions to problems presented, such as sustainable meats, organic and local, grass fed, aquaculture, new fishing technologies, and enhanced regulations. Eating Earth offers a concise examination of the environmental effects of dietary choice, clearly presenting the many reasons why dietary choice ought to be front and center for environmentalists. Kemmerer's writing, supported by nearly 80 graphs and summary slides, is clear, straightforward, and punctuated with wry humor.
Sister Species: Women, Animals, and Social Justice, 2011
Sister Species addresses interconnections between speciesism, sexism, racism, and homophobia, cla... more Sister Species addresses interconnections between speciesism, sexism, racism, and homophobia, clarifying why social justice activists in the twenty-first century must identify and challenge these various intersecting forms of oppression simultaneously. Through courageous, gripping personal narratives from women who have personally explored links of oppression between human beings and nonhuman animals, Sister Species examines exploitative enterprises such as cockfighting, factory farming, vivisection, and the bushmeat trade. Sister Species demonstrates with painful clarity why every activist must be on board with other social justice concerns.
Animals and World Religions, 2012
Despite increasing public attention to animal suffering, little seems to have changed: Human bein... more Despite increasing public attention to animal suffering, little seems to have changed: Human beings continue to exploit billions of animals in factory farms, medical laboratories, and elsewhere. In this wide-ranging and perceptive study, Lisa Kemmerer shows how spiritual writings and teachings in seven major religious traditions can help people to consider their ethical obligations toward other creatures.
Dr. Kemmerer examines the role of nonhuman animals in scripture and myth, in the lives of religious exemplars, and by drawing on foundational philosophical and moral teachings. She begins with a study of indigenous traditions around the world, then focuses on the religions of India (Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain) and China (Daoism and Confucianism), and finally, religions of the Middle East (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). At the end of each chapter, Kemmerer explores the inspiring lives and work of contemporary animal advocates who are motivated by a personal religious commitment.
Animals and World Religions demonstrates that rethinking how we treat nonhuman animals is essential for anyone claiming one of the world's great religions.
Primate People: Saving Nonhuman Primates through Education, Advocacy, and Sanctuary, 2012
In the last 30 years the bushmeat trade has led to the slaughter of nearly 90 percent of West Afr... more In the last 30 years the bushmeat trade has led to the slaughter of nearly 90 percent of West Africa’s bonobos, perhaps our closest relatives, and has recently driven Miss Waldron’s red colobus monkey to extinction. Earth was once rich with primates, but every species—except one—is now extinct or endangered because of one primate—Homo sapiens. How have our economic and cultural practices pushed our cousins toward destruction? Would we care more about their fate if we knew something of their individual lives and sufferings? Would we help them if we understood how our choices threaten their existence? This anthology helps to answer these questions.
The first section of Primate People introduces forces that threaten nonhuman primates, such as the entertainment and “pet” industries, the bushmeat trade, habitat destruction, and logging. The second section exposes the exploitation of primates in research facilities, including the painful memories of an undercover agent, and suggests models of more enlightened scientific methods. The final section tells the stories of those who lobby for change, educate communities, and tenderly care for our displaced cousins in sanctuaries.
Sometimes shocking and disturbing, sometimes poignant and encouraging, Primate People always draws the reader into the lives of nonhuman primates. Activists around the world reveal the antics and pleasures of monkeys, the tendencies and idiosyncrasies of chimpanzees, and the sufferings and fears of macaques. Charming, difficult, sensitive—these testimonies demonstrate that nonhuman primates and human beings are, indeed, closely related. Woven into the anthology’s lucid narratives are the stories of how we harm and create the conditions that endanger primates, and what we can and must do to prevent their ongoing suffering and fast-approaching extinction.
Speaking Up for Animals: An Anthology of Women's Voices, 2011
Speaking Up for Animals highlights eighteen courageous members of a growing international animal ... more Speaking Up for Animals highlights eighteen courageous members of a growing international animal advocacy movement that is overwhelmingly powered by women. These remarkable activists take us with them as they lift factory farmed chickens and cows from quagmires of filth, free gigantic sea lions caught in fishing gear and secure undercover footage of dogs crying for mercy on stainless steel vivisection tables. In the process, these dedicated women expose the many ways that most of us are complicit in the suffering and exploitation of animals, and creatively suggest a variety of ways in which we might help bring change.
In Search of Consistency: Ethics and Animals, 2006
In Search of Consistency stands at the intersection of animal ethics, environmental ethics, and r... more In Search of Consistency stands at the intersection of animal ethics, environmental ethics, and religious ethics. The book systematically examines the work of influential scholars Tom Regan (animal rights), Peter Singer (utilitarian ethics), Andrew Linzey (theologian), and Paul Taylor (environmental ethics), then explores ethics across six world religions (Indigenous faiths, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). This monumental, ground-breaking volume explores revolutionary ideas of the past, introduces key thinkers, and examines "the sanctity of life," and introduces an intriguing moral theory, "The Minimize Harm Maxim." This maxim is rooted in the time-honored moral ideals of impartiality and consistency. This book questions what it means to be human and challenges our assumed place in the universe.
Les ateliers de l'éthique / The Ethics Forum , 2014
This article explores whether or not animal activists who engage in violence might legitimately b... more This article explores whether or not animal activists who engage in violence might legitimately be labelled “terrorists.” To this end, I examine common assumptions concerning the use of pre-emptive counter-violence in order to defend the comparatively defenceless. Through the use of casuistry, this essay compares specific hypothetical instances of killing comparatively defenceless individuals, beginning with scenarios that offer a clear general consensus, moving to more controversial cases. This indicates that contemporary violence on behalf of animal liberation, often assumed to be rash and radical, is actually quite restrained. The intent of this paper is not to make claims as to how liberationists ought to behave, but rather to highlight egregious inconsistencies in our attitudes toward violence on behalf of those who are comparatively defenceless.
Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy. Special Issue: “Wild Animals and Justice” , 2016
The oceans and seas of the world provide a hundred and sixty-eight times the volume of living spa... more The oceans and seas of the world provide a hundred and sixty-eight times the volume of living space that is provided by terrestrial ecosystems. This makes it tempting to conclude that there are “plenty of fish in the sea.” Indeed, we have tended to behave as if the oceans hold an unlimited amount of sea life, and we continue to consume as if no amount of fishing or eating of sea life will harm ocean ecosystems. Moreover, while animal agriculture comes increasingly under fire for environmental damage and cruelty, the environmental degradation and the sufferings of fishes tend to slip under the wire.
As information and moral deliberation lead many informed people away from the consumption of farmed and hunted animals, dairy, and eggs—on behalf of the environment and because of unconscionable suffering of animals—some people shy away from a vegan diet, tending toward piscatorial fare, eschewing all flesh except that of sea life. This article explores fisheries, fishes, and foundational moral theories to analyze critically whether or not piscatorial leanings are a reasoned and informed choice for environmentalists or those who are otherwise concerned about making choices in the supermarket or in restaurants that cause unnecessary suffering.
Between the Species, 2018
Exploring sex ratios of anymal activist organization leadership, the Hall of Fame, and the larges... more Exploring sex ratios of anymal activist organization leadership, the Hall of Fame, and the largest conference in the United States provides evidence of sexism and male privilege in the United States anymal activist movement.
Society and Animals , 2006
This paper is an exploration of verbal activism and animal liberation, starting with ... more This paper is an exploration of verbal activism and animal liberation, starting with a brief explanation of Wittgenstein’s (1953) views on the nature and role of language. A discussion of lexical gaps, linguistic change, and verbal activism follows: The paper introduces the word, “anymal,” to fill a lexical gap and to provide a form of verbal activism.
Satya: Vegetarianism, Environmentalism, Animal Advocacy, and Social Justice
Activism: Consistency and Compromise
American Behavioral Scientist, 2019
Ecofeminism critiques the common Greco-diaspora worldview, which focuses on divisions and hierarc... more Ecofeminism critiques the common Greco-diaspora worldview, which focuses on divisions and hierarchy, and is shared by millions of people in industrialized nations. Not surprisingly, given this worldview, environmental and animal activists are keenly aware of their differences, both philosophical and practical, and therefore envision their causes and their work as separate and distinct. Asian philosophy, indigenous traditions, and science offer alternative visions, presenting a more interrelational, interconnected, interdependent, unified, and egalitarian sense of the universe. If this alternative worldview is viable for earth and animal advocacy, it must shed light on pressing problems and indicate workable solutions, particularly with regard to the most pressing problems of the day. When applied to climate change and population/consumption, this alternative vision of an interrelational, interconnected, interdependent, unified, and egalitarian universe proves effective for identifying core concerns that are shared and indicating viable joint solutions.
Animal Liberation Philosophy and Policy Journal , 2004
This paper explores subsistence traditions that entail killing nonhuman animals among indigenous ... more This paper explores subsistence traditions that entail killing nonhuman animals among indigenous peoples of North America. In light of historic tradition, contemporary practices, and treaties that guarantee these practices, this article challenges the legitimacy of laws guaranteeing such practices. The paper begins with an examination of indigenous spiritual traditions, then presents a concrete example from Washington State, complete with treaties, legal issues, and court rulings. The definition of "tradition" is critical to the argument of the paper, and is used as a light for exploring whether or not contemporary hunting, fishing, and trapping are rightly considered "traditional."
Ethics, Place, & Environment, 2004
Exploring both sides of a contemporary conflict over whaling in Washington State, this paper expl... more Exploring both sides of a contemporary conflict over whaling in Washington State, this paper explores philosophic consistency and consistency between philosophy and action.
The introduction reiterates the importance of consistency for the Western philosophic tradition, offering relevant background information concerning an unresolved conflict over whaling in Washington State. Part I exposes philosophic inconsistency for contemporary whalers in Washington State and provides contrasting examples of similar situations where consistency has been maintained. Part II discusses philosophic inconsistencies entailed for non-whalers if whaling is permitted in Washington State.
I conclude by noting the limitations of my work, as well as possible far-reaching implications.
Transgenic Research 23.2, 2014
Efforts to advance our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases involve the creation chi-meric... more Efforts to advance our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases involve the creation chi-meric organisms from human neural stem cells and primate embryos-known as prenatal chimeras. The existence of potential mentally complex beings with human and non-human neural apparatus raises fundamental questions as to the ethical permissibility of chimeric research and the moral status of the creatures it creates. Even as bioethicists find fewer reasons to be troubled by most types of chimeric organisms, social attitudes towards the non-human world are often influenced by religious beliefs. In this paper scholars representing eight major religious traditions provide a brief commentary on a hypothetical case concerning the development and use of prenatal human-animal chimeric primates in medical research. These commentaries reflect the plurality and complexity within and between religious discourses of our relationships with other species. Views on the moral status and permissibility of research on neural human animal chimeras vary. The authors provide an introduction to those who seek a better understanding of how faith-based perspectives might enter into biomedical ethics and public discourse towards forms of biomedical research that involves chimeric organisms.
This issue of Green Theory and Praxis came about as a response to conversations regar... more This issue of Green Theory and Praxis came about as a response to conversations regarding whether ecofeminism had adequately engaged with queer theory and also the converse, whether queer theory has engaged ecofeminism. At times these two bodies of knowledge have heavily influenced one another but the potential of combining both fields has sadly often been overlooked. This issue seeks to bridge this divide. However, after receiving a variety of submissions we realized that for this edition to achieve our goal that it had to move away from just a queering of ecofeminism. Instead we realized that it needed to address the environmental justice and animal liberation movements more sweepingly.
Human Architecture Journal of the Sociology of Self Knowledge, Jun 22, 2009
Human Architecture Journal of the Sociology of Self Knowledge, 2008
DEP: Deportate, Esuli, Profughe. Ca' Foscari University of Venezia, Italy, 2013
Feminist thinkers, focused on moving toward sex equality, turned their attention to the root caus... more Feminist thinkers, focused on moving toward sex equality, turned their attention to the root causes of sexism and the oppression of women. In the process, thinkers and authors unearthed common ground between feminists, environmentalists, and animal activists, connecting with and advancing a comparatively new school of thought, Ecofeminism.
Between the Species: An Online Journal for the Study of Philosophy and Animals, 2007
Between the Species: An Online Journal for the Study of Philosophy and Animals, 2005
Animal Liberation Currents: New Critical Interventions, Revolutionary Provocations , 2017
Vaquejada, a bull-toppling competition in Northeastern Brazil, recently set those concerned about... more Vaquejada, a bull-toppling competition in Northeastern Brazil, recently set those concerned about cruelty to anymals1 against those supporting vaquejada. Because Brazil’s constitution forbids cruelty to anymals, the dispute centered on the constitutionality of permitting a cultural event that clearly entails cruelty to anymals. A ruling was offered by Brazil’s Supreme Court in October, but as this article goes to press (January 2017), the legal battle continues in Brazil’s courts. Updates can be found on websites such as these: https://vista-se.com.br/ and http://www.anda.jor.br/.
Animal Liberation Currents: New Critical Interventions, Revolutionary Provocation, 2017
Vaquejada, a bull-toppling competition in Northeastern Brazil has recently rocketed from obscurit... more Vaquejada, a bull-toppling competition in Northeastern Brazil has recently rocketed from obscurity into big money and legal conflict. In the fall of 2016 anymal advocates were victorious in a well-fought battle against vaquejada resting on nothing less than Brazil’s Constitution. But instead of taking this recent ruling as moral progress, legislative powers capitulated to powerful economic interests and are now seeking to alter the constitution to safeguard vaquejada. An examination of ecofeminism, ethics, and multiculturalism sheds light on the current political debate of vaquejada in Brazil.
Green Theory and Praxis: A Journal of Ecological Politics , 2008
Just War Theory, initially designed to justify state’s violence, offers guidelines as to ... more Just War Theory, initially designed to justify state’s violence, offers guidelines as to what many “civilized” nations believe to be justified violence. Under the guidelines of Just War Theory, the ongoing battle to free nonhuman animals and the earth from industrial exploitation is an asymmetric war of humanitarian intervention on behalf of a beleaguered and abused population, on behalf of the earth itself. Warrior activists engage in a counteroffensive on behalf of the exploited. Tactics conclusively demonstrate that these warrior activists are not terrorists. New legislation is necessary for trying warrior activists, who engage in a distinct form of combat which the U.S. government wrongly labels as terrorism. These combatants ought to be offered the protection of soldiers engaged in just war, captured by the enemy (which happens to be their own government). Alternatively, the government could cease to be the enemy of warrior activists by ceasing to align with big business against nonhumans, earth, and civil liberties. Contemporary counter-aggression on behalf of the exploited and abused provides a textbook model of asymmetric humanitarian intervention, and ought to be treated as such in our legal system.
Journal of Critical Animal Studies , 2010
Intent on familiarizing myself with local animal organizations, I took off across the state of Mo... more Intent on familiarizing myself with local animal organizations, I took off across the state of Montana in my sister’s old truck, hoping to hit up every sanctuary and rescue I could find – there were only a half dozen to consider. Mostly, I wanted to network with other vegans, but my adventures quickly turned into an examination of various forms of direct action, and an assessment of which types of organizations offered the greatest return for funds donated.
Journal for Critical Animal Studies, 2007
The aim of the Institute for Critical Animal Studies (ICAS) is to provide a space for the develop... more The aim of the Institute for Critical Animal Studies (ICAS) is to provide a space for the development of a “critical” approach to animal studies, one which perceives that relations between human and nonhuman animals are now at a point of crisis which implicates the planet as a whole. This dire situation is evident most dramatically in the intensified slaughter and exploitation of animals (who die by the tens of billions each year in the United States alone); the unfolding of the sixth great extinction crisis in the history of the planet (the last ...
Animals and the Environment, 2015
When faced with the truths of buying flesh in the grocery store, some people argue that hunting m... more When faced with the truths of buying flesh in the grocery store, some people argue that hunting must be preferable—that hunting is the environmentally friendly way to put “meat” on the table. This chapter explores this assertion.
Animals and the Environment, 2015
Cheap meat, dairy, and eggs are an illusion—we pay dearly for these food choices with depleted fr... more Cheap meat, dairy, and eggs are an illusion—we pay dearly for these food choices with depleted freshwater reserves, deforestation, soil degradation, and wildlife manipulation. Diet is the most critical decision we make with regard to our environmental footprint—and it is a decision that we make every day, several times a day.
Animals and the Environment, 2015
The use of body-gripping traps and snares for commercial and recreational trapping is banned on p... more The use of body-gripping traps and snares for commercial and recreational trapping is banned on public lands in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Arizona, but most states still allow trapping for profit and pleasure, including Montana (Reed, “Trapping”). Montana’s Furbearer Trapping Program (MFTP), administered by the Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks (MDFWP), offers an apt example of U.S. trapping regulations and methods—and of the problems and moral issues that arise wherever trapping is legal.
Animals and the Environment, 2015
This chapter explores the interwoven history of animal and earth advocacy, surveying some of the ... more This chapter explores the interwoven history of animal and earth advocacy, surveying some of the key philosophical underpinnings, historic divides, and shared tactics that stem from a mutual concern for things outside the human world.
Animals and the Environment, 2015
The ocean is a vast series of diverse yet interconnected ecosystems. Ocean waters cover the majo... more The ocean is a vast series of diverse yet interconnected ecosystems. Ocean waters cover the majority of the planet and are home to countless varieties of life. The volume of living space provided by the seas is 168 times greater than that of land-based habitats; 90 percent of earth’s living biomass is in the sea (Clark 2006). Despite this opulence, ocean life is in peril, but unlike other threatened ecosystems, the impending oceanic crisis is largely unseen and largely unmentioned even among environmentalists. While animal advocates and environmentalists rally on behalf of dolphins, seals, and whales, neither group seems too worried about Chinook salmon or Atlantic halibut—but they ought to be.
Animals and the Environment: Advocacy, Activism, and the Quest for Common Ground, 2015
Asian philosophies and religions, which stretch four thousand miles from the steamy southern tip ... more Asian philosophies and religions, which stretch four thousand miles from the steamy southern tip of Sri Lanka to the cold north of China, include a diversity of worldviews rooted in profound visions of deep and abiding unity. Perhaps these alternative worldviews have something to offer other people in a world of climate change, mass extinctions, depletion of freshwater, and rampant soil degradation.
Bear Necessities, 2015
This is Chapter 1 of Bear Necessities: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Sanctuary, and Advocacy.
Bear Necessities: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Sanctuary, and Advocacy, 2015
This is chapter 6 of Bear Necessities: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Sanctuary, and Advocacy, co-writte... more This is chapter 6 of Bear Necessities: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Sanctuary, and Advocacy, co-written with Siew Te Wong
Bear Necessities: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Sanctuary, and Advocacy, 2015
This is chapter 11 of Bear Necessities: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Sanctuary, and Advocacy
Bear Necessities: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Sanctuary, and Advocacy, 2015
This is chapter 20 in Bear Necessities: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Sanctuary, and Advocacy
Climate Change Denial and Public Relations: Strategic Communication and Interest Groups in Climate Inaction
This essay demonstrates the power of ecofeminism for lobbying and advocacy against climate inacti... more This essay demonstrates the power of ecofeminism for lobbying and advocacy against climate inaction. Kemmerer explores ecofeminist theory, providing a means by which to revisit and critically analyse our dominant worldview, particularly false value dualism and hierarchy. The author also provides a handful of additional supporting theories that similarly expose the problematic thinking that has led to and maintains environmental degradation and climate inaction. This essay demonstrates how a more holistic vision, focusing on interconnections and respect for life and the environment, can help us to work against climate change, and climate change denial, so long as we are willing to change our outlook—and our day-to-day consumption patterns.
Philosophies of Multiculturalism: Beyond Liberalism (an anthology edited by Luís Cordeiro Rodrigues and Marko Simendic), 2016
In light of the cultural complexity and cultural significance of foods, we ought not to assume, b... more In light of the cultural complexity and cultural significance of foods, we ought not to assume, but to carefully assess what stand multiculturalism ought to take with regard to food planning for community meals. A brief examination of foundational Indian philosophy offers insights as to why it might make sense to reject certain food categories at community meals. This, in turn, invites a wider examination of religious ethics and food proscriptions. A survey of contemporary animal agricultural practices offers further insights as to how religious ethics ought to be reflected in the contemporary world—and the voices of a few contemporary Hindus provide examples. After briefly touching on physiology and racism, common practices at MSUB exemplify the need for a strong and somewhat unexpected influence from multiculturalism with regard to community meals.
Animals, Race, and Multiculturalism: Contemporary Moral and Political Debates
Jews have been criticized for maintaining traditions that cause suffering and destroy the lives o... more Jews have been criticized for maintaining traditions that cause suffering and destroy the lives of anymals. This is offensive to many who are concerned with anymal welfare. For example, the lives of chickens are destroyed for Kaporos, a Jewish tradition of atonement. Where do Jewish ethics stand with regard to anymal suffering and premature death? In a multicultural world, where should the larger society stand with regard to religious traditions that harm anymals? When forced to decide between the protection and preservation of religious traditions and the lives and welfare of anymals, what is the moral stance in a multicultural world? Multiculturalism must be weighed against ethics to determine the right course of action.
Africa and Her Animals: A Philosophical & Practical Reader
Like the rest of the world, Africa holds a long history of animal exploitation and is home to a... more Like the rest of the world, Africa holds a long history of animal exploitation and is home to a host of endangered species – including extremely high-profile megafauna such as the black rhinoceros. What do core scriptures teach regarding the rightful role of a Christian with regard to these exploited and beleaguered anymals? Can core Christian teachings help to alleviate some of the suffering and loss of anymals in Africa? This chapter explores core Christian scriptures from Genesis through Isaiah and on to the Gospels, shedding light on widely accepted fundamental Christian teachings with regard to human interactions with anymals.
Issues in Ethics and Animal Rights (an anthology edited by Manish Vyas), 2011
Through close analysis of an ancient myth, Kemmerer examines an indigenous community's ethics. T... more Through close analysis of an ancient myth, Kemmerer examines an indigenous community's ethics. The chapter first establishes the importance of mythology for transmitting moral and spiritual teachings, then offers a brief outline of the Koyukon myth, Eagle Man Who Carried People Far Away. The chapter then turns to examine core ethics entailed in this fascinating myth, exploring the application of “traditional” ethics in modern times.
While this paper focuses on a single Koyukon myth, the implications of Kemmerer's analysis carry over to the myths and worldviews of other indigenous peoples in contemporary times.
Circle of Compassion: Essays Connecting Issues of Justice (an anthology edited by Will Tuttle), 2014
For those of us who can buy bulk grains and frozen, fresh, or canned greens, the vegan option is ... more For those of us who can buy bulk grains and frozen, fresh, or canned greens, the vegan option is the only moral option. If we care about those who are starving, if we are concerned about the planet and ecosystems, if we want to protect our health or reduce the costs of health care, if we wish to reduce oppression of other people and the sufferings of farmed and fished animals, or if we have spiritual inclinations or a commitment to religious teachings, we must turn to a plant-based diet.
Blaming ethanol for taking a bite out of the corn supply while consuming flesh, eggs, or dairy, is hypocritical. The best way to fight world hunger is to go vegan. Those who are sincere in their commitment to social justice, protecting the environment, human health, and animals, must shift to a plant-based diet.
Metamorphoses of the Zoo: Animal Encounters after Noah (an anthology edited by Ralph Acampora), 2010
This chapter highlights several criticisms of zoos, then provides a vision for new zoos: “nooz.” ... more This chapter highlights several criticisms of zoos, then provides a vision for new zoos: “nooz.” Offering a new name to these institutions makes a clear break from the old model, which is fundamentally exploitative. The common denominator between zoos and nooz is that both foster nonhumans who are neither domestic pets nor farmed animals—they keep “wild” animals. Nooz are nonexploitative, benevolent, and are designed for nonhumans, to provide safe-haven for those individuals who have been misused by zoos or science, or injured by humans. This essay also explores “benevolent” reasons for keeping nonhuman animals in zoos, such as captive breeding programs and injured wildlife, and acceptable parameters for nooz, including such topics as retribution for previous exploitation and the problem of carnivory.
Page 1. METAMORPHOSES V/ j™ir-Tiir —rr\n * OF THE ZOO Animal Encounter after Noah EDITED BY Ralph... more Page 1. METAMORPHOSES V/ j™ir-Tiir —rr\n * OF THE ZOO Animal Encounter after Noah EDITED BY Ralph R. Acampora Page 2. Metamorphoses of the Zoo Page 3. Toposophia Sustainability, Dwelling, Design Toposophia ...
Re-thinking Humanimal Relations (an anthlogy edited by Nicola Taylor & Tania Signal), 2011
Theorizing, our search for answers in a world filled with unknowns, sometimes yields wonderful an... more Theorizing, our search for answers in a world filled with unknowns, sometimes yields wonderful and important information—information that is critical to how we understand our world and how we live in our world, and which aids us in a host of ways. Other times, theories are the product of vested interests and partiality, especially when humans theorize about “others.” In these instances, we often do great damage with our theorizing. If we are to theorize about oxen and sheep, then we must theorize about self.
Then again, theorizing self is perhaps not the most appropriate response to the problematic nature of theorizing. Today, what we need—and what cattle and mice, turkeys and pigs, Gobi jerboas and water opossums need from us—is not theorizing “others,” but a change of heart and a change of lifestyle. If we are to save ourselves, our planet, and these many individuals, we must see and accept our commonality with all creatures and stop posing theories that begin with an assumption of critical difference. Because we have been unable to theorize justly about “others,” it is time to dispense with theories and rediscover empathy, compassion, and common sense—of course pigs and cats think and suffer, have personalities and volition. Those who would suggest otherwise hold the burden of proof.
Igniting a Revolution: Voices in Defense of Mother Earth, an anthology edited by Steven Best, 2009
Most of us do not view “eco-terrorism” as a standard Sunday activity for mainstream Christians. ... more Most of us do not view “eco-terrorism” as a standard Sunday activity for mainstream Christians. In fact, the ignoble (and misleading) title “eco-terrorism” strongly suggests less than exemplary behavior. Surprising as it may seem, many of the activities of “eco-terrorists” are firmly supported by Christian (and Jewish) scripture. Moreover, this scriptural support for radical ecological justice comes from the very heart of the Christian tradition--Genesis, Prophets, the injunction to love, and the life of Jesus.
Society and Animals , 2014