The inspiration from today's episode came from the 2019 paper: The Milkmaid’s Tale: Veganism, Feminism, and Dystopian Food Futures, by Dr Angela Lee. I was lucky enough to have Dr Lee join me to discuss her work on the systemic nature of food, and how our dietary choices are intrinsically linked to social justice issues. I ponder the questions: is it morally admissible for vegetarians and vegans to eat fake meat products? And if you consider yourself a feminist, does this mean that you are morally required to be vegan?

The inspiration from today's episode came from the 2019 paper: The Milkmaid’s Tale: Veganism, Feminism, and Dystopian Food Futures, by Dr Angela Lee. I was lucky enough to have Dr Lee join me to discuss her work on the systemic nature of food, and how our dietary choices are intrinsically linked to social justice issues. I ponder the questions: is it morally admissible for vegetarians and vegans to eat fake meat products? And if you consider yourself a feminist, does this mean that you are morally required to be vegan?

Are Feminists required to be Vegan?

I speak with Maythe Han, a PhD anthropology researcher who has been investigating kinship between humans and their dogs. Despite the project being "a love letter" to her own dog, she has uncovered a dark side to our love for our closest canine companions...

I speak with Maythe Han, a PhD anthropology researcher who has been investigating kinship between humans and their dogs. Despite the project being "a love letter" to her own dog, she has uncovered a dark side to our love for our closest canine companions...

What can our kinship with animals tell us about our relationships with other humans?

As humans, we love to categorize. But what if these categorizations don't really reflect biological relaity? Professor Volker Sommer joins me this week to give us some insight into the history, and the problems with, the taxonomic system, inlcuding whether some non-human primates should actually be included in our "human" genus Homo. 

As humans, we love to categorize. But what if these categorizations don't really reflect biological relaity? Professor Volker Sommer joins me this week to give us some insight into the history, and the problems with, the taxonomic system, inlcuding whether some non-human primates should actually be included in our "human" genus Homo.

Just how close are we to our Chimpanzee cousins?

If you want to support this podcast please consider buying me a coffee! (actually your money will 100% go towards dog treats for my very spoiled little gremlin!) www.buymeacoffee.com/animalistic

If you want to support this podcast please consider buying me a coffee! (actually your money will 100% go towards dog treats for my very spoiled little gremlin!) <a href="http://www.buymeacoffee.com/animalistic" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.buymeacoffee.com/animalistic</a>

A special message for my listeners

Happy, a captive elephant, currently has a petition filed on her behalf for a common law writ of habeas corpus (that is, against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment) in the New York Supreme Court. Those who filed the petition are demanding recognition of Happy’s legal personhood and fundamental right to bodily liberty. But what is legal personhood? What does it mean to be a "person"? To answer these questions I'm joined by Dr Joe Wills of the University of Leicester, expert in human rights, animal rights and legal, political and moral theory. 

Happy, a captive elephant, currently has a petition filed on her behalf for a common law writ of habeas corpus (that is, against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment) in the New York Supreme Court. Those who filed the petition are demanding recognition of Happy’s legal personhood and fundamental right to bodily liberty. But what is legal personhood? What does it mean to be a "person"? To answer these questions I'm joined by Dr Joe Wills of the University of Leicester, expert in human rights, animal rights and legal, political and moral theory.

Can an elephant be legally recognised as a person?

A "behind the scenes" look at the history, and current practices of using primates in laboratory research. Why do we use these animals? What are the problems associated with their use? To help answer these questions I am joined by Janire Castellano Bueno, PhD student at Newcastle University, who works on improving welfare for laboratory rhesus macaques. 

A "behind the scenes" look at the history, and current practices of using primates in laboratory research. Why do we use these animals? What are the problems associated with their use? To help answer these questions I am joined by Janire Castellano Bueno, PhD student at Newcastle University, who works on improving welfare for laboratory rhesus macaques.

Why do we use Primates in research?

Dr Raoul Schwing of the Kea Lab in Austria joins me to talk about one of his favourite topics, play. Do animals play? Why? And what special purpose does play serve in Kea parrots, one of the smartest and most mischievous birds on the planet?

Dr Raoul Schwing of the Kea Lab in Austria joins me to talk about one of his favourite topics, play. Do animals play? Why? And what special purpose does play serve in Kea parrots, one of the smartest and most mischievous birds on the planet?

Do animals play?

My guest today is Dr Simon Doherty of Queens University, Belfast. He talks to me about risks of zoonotic diseases, and how the best way to tackle these, and other public health problems is through communication and collaboration across scientific fields.

My guest today is Dr Simon Doherty of Queens University, Belfast. He talks to me about risks of zoonotic diseases, and how the best way to tackle these, and other public health problems is through communication and collaboration across scientific fields.

What does a vet and an environmentalist have in common?

This month, the UK government introduced a Bill to formally recognise animals as sentient beings. But what does this mean? And why is it important? What animals are sentient, and how do we know? To answer (some) of these questions I am joined by Dr Janet Pauketat, research fellow at the Sentience Institute.

This month, the UK government introduced a Bill to formally recognise animals as sentient beings. But what does this mean? And why is it important? What animals are sentient, and how do we know? To answer (some) of these questions I am joined by Dr Janet Pauketat, research fellow at the Sentience Institute.

What is sentience anyway?

I am joined by Dr Lynne Sneddon, a fish pain and welfare expert, who explains the research she does on fish pain, her incredible discoveries, and how she is using this research to drive welfare changes for fish everywhere

I am joined by Dr Lynne Sneddon, a fish pain and welfare expert, who explains the research she does on fish pain, her incredible discoveries, and how she is using this research to drive welfare changes for fish everywhere

Do fish feel pain?

What do we really know about animals, the beings whom we share much of our living space, DNA, brain structures and abilities with? Would a better understanding of the world through the eyes of an animal change our perception of what it means to be human?

Dr. Judith Benz-Schwarzburg, a scholar of human-animal studies at the Messerli Institute, Vienna, joins me to discuss how the media diverts scruitiny from the meat industry, and how advertisers use clever tricks to sooth our conscience and keep us spending our money on their products, guilt-free. This conversation left me wondering... is the media brainwashing us?

Dr. Judith Benz-Schwarzburg, a scholar of human-animal studies at the Messerli Institute, Vienna, joins me to discuss how the media diverts scruitiny from the meat industry, and how advertisers use clever tricks to sooth our conscience and keep us spending our money on their products, guilt-free. This conversation left me wondering... is the media brainwashing us?

Is the media brainwashing us?

A brief history of animal law and I have the privilage of speaking to Professor David Favre, a law professor at Michigan University. He sets out his idea for a new category under the law that would give additional protection to companion animals, bringing them closer to the status that children currently have, particularly in areas of divorce and inheritance. But who will and won't be protected?

Are pets the new kids?

Evolution has endowed humans and every other living being on earth with a unique set of organs and sensory abilities that allow them to navigate the world. We understand the functions and mechanisms of these attributes better than ever before, but one big question remains, which has baffled scientists and philosophers alike for centuries: where does our sensation of conciousness come from? And do other animals experience conciousness as we do? Do AI computers experience something like conciousness? How do we even know anyone else, besides ourselves, experiences conciousness like we do?

What is it like to be a bat?

What is an animal? What is it that sets humans apart from other, non-human animals?

What is an Animal?

My name is Katharine Creagh. I studied psychology and human-animal interactions. In this series I will be sharing some of the groundbreaking work by scientists and scholars in the fields of biology, psychology, philosophy and law, in an effort to bridge...

Animalistic Intro

ANIMALISTIC

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Best Episodes: Interesting Stories & Things

The best podcasts about ourselves as well as the world through the lense of Science. Specific topics include things about our brain, emotions to biology, physics and more!