Arnold Arluke | Northeastern University (original) (raw)
Papers by Arnold Arluke
Anthrozoos, 2003
... He noted: We had four dogs and two of them died. We got one cremated and we keep him in our ... more ... He noted: We had four dogs and two of them died. We got one cremated and we keep him in our hutch in the house, and the other one who was a really close com-panion to the family, we buried him in the back yard next to a big pine tree. So I made a little sign out of wood. ...
Anthrozoos a Multidisciplinary Journal of the Interactions of People Animals, 2014
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Feb 28, 2003
Anthrozoos, 1988
... its identifying code, for example, M485 post-op 18 days. Data col-lected on animals are al... more ... its identifying code, for example, M485 post-op 18 days. Data col-lected on animals are also recorded by means of such code numbers. These codes are used to refer to the animals and are labels rather than names. This distinction is important: labels are classifications of ...
Researchers have extensively studied the tendency of certain violent criminals to hurt or torture... more Researchers have extensively studied the tendency of certain violent criminals to hurt or torture animals, primarily focusing on domestic abusers and serial killers. However, little is known about the extent or nature of prior animal abuse among active shooters and public mass shooters. Public mass and active shooters essentially represent a single offender type: they are people who commit rampage attacks in public places and attempt to harm multiple victims beyond a single target. The only difference is that “mass” shootings are traditionally defined as cases resulting in the death of four or more victims, while “active” shootings have no minimum threshold. This study aimed to identify all publicly reported cases of active and mass shooters who engaged in animal cruelty, describe the nature of their violence toward animals and humans, and examine how they differ from other perpetrators without this history. Overall, this study found twenty cases of offenders with a publicly reported history of animal abuse. Comparisons between offenders with and without this history indicated that animal-abusing offenders were more likely to be young and white, less likely to die at the crime scene, and more likely to kill and wound a large number of victims. While this finding supports the idea that animal abuse might be a warning sign for a small but deadly minority of mostly youthful offenders, it is likely not a robust signal of future shooters in general because animal abuse is rarely reported in this population of offenders at large.
It is well known that the Nazis treated human beings with extreme cruelty but it less widely reco... more It is well known that the Nazis treated human beings with extreme cruelty but it less widely recognized that the Nazis also took some pains to develop and pass extensive animal protection laws. How could the Nazis have professed such concern for animals while treating humans so badly? It would be easy to dismiss Nazi proclamations on animals as mere hypocrisy but there may be other explanations for the contradiction. For example, anec-dotal reports and psychological evaluations of many prominent Nazis suggest they felt affection for animals but dislike of humans. Second, animal protection measures , whether sincere or not, may have been a legal veil to attack Jews and others considered undesirable. Third, the Nazis blurred moral distinctions between animals and people and tended to treat members of even the Master Race as animals at times. This article argues that at the core of the Nazi treatment of humans and animals was a reconstitution of society's boundaries and margins. All human cultures seek to protect what is perceived to be pure from that which is seen to be dangerous and polluting and most societies establish fairly clear boundaries between people and animals. In Nazi Germany, however, human identity was not contaminated by including certain animal traits but certain peoples were considered to be a very real danger to Aryan purity.
This research examines whether people are more emotionally disturbed by reports of non-human anim... more This research examines whether people are more emotionally disturbed by reports of non-human animal than human suffering or abuse. Two hundred and fifty-six undergraduates at a major northeastern university were asked to indicate their degree of empathy for a brutally beaten human adult or child versus an adult dog or puppy, as described in a fictitious news report. We hypothesized that the vulnerability of victims—determined by their age and not species—would determine participants' levels of distress and concern for them. The main effect for age but not for species was significant. We also found more empathy for victims who are human children, puppies , and fully-grown dogs than for victims who are adult humans. Age makes a difference for empathy toward human victims, but not for dog victims. In addition, female participants were significantly more empathic toward all victims than were their male counterparts. Keywords empathy – emotional distress – vulnerability – suffering – victims – dogs – age
Inevitably, a mass shooting is followed by a public account of the " warning signs " the killer m... more Inevitably, a mass shooting is followed by a public account of the " warning signs " the killer may have evinced in the Inevitably, a mass shooting is followed by a public account of the " warning signs " the killer may have evinced in the months and years before the attack: bullying, isolation, vacant gazes, loss of parents, violent ideations, school months and years before the attack: bullying, isolation, vacant gazes, loss of parents, violent ideations, school expulsion, depression, explosive outbursts. One of the most common, though — hurting animals — is also the only expulsion, depression, explosive outbursts. One of the most common, though — hurting animals — is also the only one that is sometimes illegal and, therefore, the only one that could theoretically be used to bring troubled youths one that is sometimes illegal and, therefore, the only one that could theoretically be used to bring troubled youths into the mental and criminal justice systems before they do something horrible. into the mental and criminal justice systems before they do something horrible. Before he confessed to killing 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, Nikolas Cruz, too, allegedly abused Before he confessed to killing 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, Nikolas Cruz, too, allegedly abused animals. In elementary school, Cruz began shooting squirrels and chickens; as a teenager, he is said to have killed animals. In elementary school, Cruz began shooting squirrels and chickens; as a teenager, he is said to have killed frogs, tried to maim a neighbor's baby potbelly pigs and tried to crush animals trapped in rabbit holes. On Instagram, frogs, tried to maim a neighbor's baby potbelly pigs and tried to crush animals trapped in rabbit holes. On Instagram, he boasted about killing animals and posted images of dead ones. he boasted about killing animals and posted images of dead ones. Since the 1960s, some criminologists, psychiatrists and other investigators who study serial killers and mass Since the 1960s, some criminologists, psychiatrists and other investigators who study serial killers and mass murderers have claimed that animal cruelty is a possible predictor of future violence. But many children treat murderers have claimed that animal cruelty is a possible predictor of future violence. But many children treat animals maliciously, even kill them, and a vanishing percentage become mass killers. In a study I did with Jack Levin animals maliciously, even kill them, and a vanishing percentage become mass killers. In a study I did with Jack Levin of Northeastern University, we found that 28 percent of 260 undergraduates admitted to having abused animals of Northeastern University, we found that 28 percent of 260 undergraduates admitted to having abused animals when they were children. Other social scientists report up to 35 percent of college students who recall former cruelty. when they were children. Other social scientists report up to 35 percent of college students who recall former cruelty. On a national scale, these findings suggest that hundreds of thousands of children harm animals at some point in On a national scale, these findings suggest that hundreds of thousands of children harm animals at some point in their youth. It seems to be a kind of dirty play that many children consider to be no worse than cursing, roughhousing their youth. It seems to be a kind of dirty play that many children consider to be no worse than cursing, roughhousing
Images of flamingos have had a role in American popular culture for nearly 200 years. This chapte... more Images of flamingos have had a role in American popular culture for nearly 200 years. This chapter explores the symbolic work such images accomplish in American advertising, particularly in reproducing gender ideologies, or individuals' attitudes about appropriate roles for men and women. We trace the popularity of plastic flamingos in the yard as the foundation for subsequent use of this bird in advertisements. Then, we analyze representations of flamingos in advertising, showing that the flamingo's polysemy allows their image to send a wide range of messages. Through a critical reading of selected advertisements, we examine how representations of flamingos reveal ideologies of gender. In analyzing the iconography of the flamingo, this chapter emphasizes the significant influence animals have on social practices and arrangements we consider uniquely human.
Anthrozoos, 2003
... He noted: We had four dogs and two of them died. We got one cremated and we keep him in our ... more ... He noted: We had four dogs and two of them died. We got one cremated and we keep him in our hutch in the house, and the other one who was a really close com-panion to the family, we buried him in the back yard next to a big pine tree. So I made a little sign out of wood. ...
Anthrozoos a Multidisciplinary Journal of the Interactions of People Animals, 2014
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Feb 28, 2003
Anthrozoos, 1988
... its identifying code, for example, M485 post-op 18 days. Data col-lected on animals are al... more ... its identifying code, for example, M485 post-op 18 days. Data col-lected on animals are also recorded by means of such code numbers. These codes are used to refer to the animals and are labels rather than names. This distinction is important: labels are classifications of ...
Researchers have extensively studied the tendency of certain violent criminals to hurt or torture... more Researchers have extensively studied the tendency of certain violent criminals to hurt or torture animals, primarily focusing on domestic abusers and serial killers. However, little is known about the extent or nature of prior animal abuse among active shooters and public mass shooters. Public mass and active shooters essentially represent a single offender type: they are people who commit rampage attacks in public places and attempt to harm multiple victims beyond a single target. The only difference is that “mass” shootings are traditionally defined as cases resulting in the death of four or more victims, while “active” shootings have no minimum threshold. This study aimed to identify all publicly reported cases of active and mass shooters who engaged in animal cruelty, describe the nature of their violence toward animals and humans, and examine how they differ from other perpetrators without this history. Overall, this study found twenty cases of offenders with a publicly reported history of animal abuse. Comparisons between offenders with and without this history indicated that animal-abusing offenders were more likely to be young and white, less likely to die at the crime scene, and more likely to kill and wound a large number of victims. While this finding supports the idea that animal abuse might be a warning sign for a small but deadly minority of mostly youthful offenders, it is likely not a robust signal of future shooters in general because animal abuse is rarely reported in this population of offenders at large.
It is well known that the Nazis treated human beings with extreme cruelty but it less widely reco... more It is well known that the Nazis treated human beings with extreme cruelty but it less widely recognized that the Nazis also took some pains to develop and pass extensive animal protection laws. How could the Nazis have professed such concern for animals while treating humans so badly? It would be easy to dismiss Nazi proclamations on animals as mere hypocrisy but there may be other explanations for the contradiction. For example, anec-dotal reports and psychological evaluations of many prominent Nazis suggest they felt affection for animals but dislike of humans. Second, animal protection measures , whether sincere or not, may have been a legal veil to attack Jews and others considered undesirable. Third, the Nazis blurred moral distinctions between animals and people and tended to treat members of even the Master Race as animals at times. This article argues that at the core of the Nazi treatment of humans and animals was a reconstitution of society's boundaries and margins. All human cultures seek to protect what is perceived to be pure from that which is seen to be dangerous and polluting and most societies establish fairly clear boundaries between people and animals. In Nazi Germany, however, human identity was not contaminated by including certain animal traits but certain peoples were considered to be a very real danger to Aryan purity.
This research examines whether people are more emotionally disturbed by reports of non-human anim... more This research examines whether people are more emotionally disturbed by reports of non-human animal than human suffering or abuse. Two hundred and fifty-six undergraduates at a major northeastern university were asked to indicate their degree of empathy for a brutally beaten human adult or child versus an adult dog or puppy, as described in a fictitious news report. We hypothesized that the vulnerability of victims—determined by their age and not species—would determine participants' levels of distress and concern for them. The main effect for age but not for species was significant. We also found more empathy for victims who are human children, puppies , and fully-grown dogs than for victims who are adult humans. Age makes a difference for empathy toward human victims, but not for dog victims. In addition, female participants were significantly more empathic toward all victims than were their male counterparts. Keywords empathy – emotional distress – vulnerability – suffering – victims – dogs – age
Inevitably, a mass shooting is followed by a public account of the " warning signs " the killer m... more Inevitably, a mass shooting is followed by a public account of the " warning signs " the killer may have evinced in the Inevitably, a mass shooting is followed by a public account of the " warning signs " the killer may have evinced in the months and years before the attack: bullying, isolation, vacant gazes, loss of parents, violent ideations, school months and years before the attack: bullying, isolation, vacant gazes, loss of parents, violent ideations, school expulsion, depression, explosive outbursts. One of the most common, though — hurting animals — is also the only expulsion, depression, explosive outbursts. One of the most common, though — hurting animals — is also the only one that is sometimes illegal and, therefore, the only one that could theoretically be used to bring troubled youths one that is sometimes illegal and, therefore, the only one that could theoretically be used to bring troubled youths into the mental and criminal justice systems before they do something horrible. into the mental and criminal justice systems before they do something horrible. Before he confessed to killing 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, Nikolas Cruz, too, allegedly abused Before he confessed to killing 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, Nikolas Cruz, too, allegedly abused animals. In elementary school, Cruz began shooting squirrels and chickens; as a teenager, he is said to have killed animals. In elementary school, Cruz began shooting squirrels and chickens; as a teenager, he is said to have killed frogs, tried to maim a neighbor's baby potbelly pigs and tried to crush animals trapped in rabbit holes. On Instagram, frogs, tried to maim a neighbor's baby potbelly pigs and tried to crush animals trapped in rabbit holes. On Instagram, he boasted about killing animals and posted images of dead ones. he boasted about killing animals and posted images of dead ones. Since the 1960s, some criminologists, psychiatrists and other investigators who study serial killers and mass Since the 1960s, some criminologists, psychiatrists and other investigators who study serial killers and mass murderers have claimed that animal cruelty is a possible predictor of future violence. But many children treat murderers have claimed that animal cruelty is a possible predictor of future violence. But many children treat animals maliciously, even kill them, and a vanishing percentage become mass killers. In a study I did with Jack Levin animals maliciously, even kill them, and a vanishing percentage become mass killers. In a study I did with Jack Levin of Northeastern University, we found that 28 percent of 260 undergraduates admitted to having abused animals of Northeastern University, we found that 28 percent of 260 undergraduates admitted to having abused animals when they were children. Other social scientists report up to 35 percent of college students who recall former cruelty. when they were children. Other social scientists report up to 35 percent of college students who recall former cruelty. On a national scale, these findings suggest that hundreds of thousands of children harm animals at some point in On a national scale, these findings suggest that hundreds of thousands of children harm animals at some point in their youth. It seems to be a kind of dirty play that many children consider to be no worse than cursing, roughhousing their youth. It seems to be a kind of dirty play that many children consider to be no worse than cursing, roughhousing
Images of flamingos have had a role in American popular culture for nearly 200 years. This chapte... more Images of flamingos have had a role in American popular culture for nearly 200 years. This chapter explores the symbolic work such images accomplish in American advertising, particularly in reproducing gender ideologies, or individuals' attitudes about appropriate roles for men and women. We trace the popularity of plastic flamingos in the yard as the foundation for subsequent use of this bird in advertisements. Then, we analyze representations of flamingos in advertising, showing that the flamingo's polysemy allows their image to send a wide range of messages. Through a critical reading of selected advertisements, we examine how representations of flamingos reveal ideologies of gender. In analyzing the iconography of the flamingo, this chapter emphasizes the significant influence animals have on social practices and arrangements we consider uniquely human.