An Ethnography of Relationships between Humans and Formerly Farmed Animals
The aim of this article is to present an ethnographic approach to the study of relations between humans and formerly farmed animals, based on interspecies friendship. It took shape during a multispecies ethnography of relationships between humans and formerly farmed animals, carried out in two sanc...
Enregistré dans:
| Dans: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/rsa, |
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| Auteur principal: | |
| Format: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Langue: | Anglais |
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Recherches sociologiques et anthropologiques
2025
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| Accès en ligne: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Résumé: | The aim of this article is to present an ethnographic approach to the study of relations between humans and formerly farmed animals, based on interspecies friendship. It took shape during a multispecies ethnography of relationships between humans and formerly farmed animals, carried out in two sanctuaries in France and Belgium. This paper offers to look in detail at a singular interspecies friendship that occurred in the fieldwork in order to show the dual heuristic and ethical interest of interspecies friendship as an empirical approach. The first part of the article seeks to define interspecies friendship within sanctuaries and provides a few examples, before introducing the friendship relationship between the ethnographer and Charlotte, who had many identifies, among which being a sow. The second presents some methodological elements by which interspecies friendship has been implemented in the ethnography, by careful observation of the multisensory routines on which this strong and unexpected friendship was founded. As it will be defended, this experiential perspective offers to gather relevant data and to gain intimate understanding of human-animal relationships. Moreover, it allows to develop a more horizontal way to produce knowledge by recognizing animals as partners in the fieldwork and contributes to make ethnography a tool for transforming our relations with animals towards greater equity. |
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