The Animal Turn
Animals are increasingly at the forefront of research questions – Not as shadows to human stories, or as beings we want to understand biologically, or for purely our benefit – but as beings who have histories, stories, and geographies of their own. Each season is set around themes with each episode unpacking a particular animal turn concept and its significance therein. Join Claudia Hirtenfelder as she delves into some of the most important ideas emerging out of this recent turn in scholarship, thinking, and being.
Episodes
79 episodes
Bonus: Animals in Media
Bonus: Animals in MediaTogether with Arukah Animal International, The Animal Turn co-hosted a panel discussion focused on "Animals in Media". Using a video about animalized hierarchies in contagion films as a prompt, Claire Parkin...
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2:02:20
Bonus: The Salmon People Podcast with Sandra Bartlett
Award-winning journalist Sandra Bartlett joins us to uncover the unsettling realities of fish farming in British Columbia with her impactful podcast, "The Salmon People." We discuss some of the social and environmental controversies surrounding...
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1:03:45
Bonus: Creativity with Carol Gigliotti
Using Carol Gigliotti’s book “The Creative Lives of Animals” as a backdrop, this episode explores animals and the creative process. From the artistic intricacies of humpback whales' bubble-net feeding to the sophisticated communicat...
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1:16:05
Bonus: Veterinary Ethics and Animal Welfare with Sean Wensley
Using his book Through a Vet’s Eyes as a backdrop, Claudia talks to Sean Wensley about veterinary ethics and animal welfare. They discuss some of Sean’s experiences as a vet as well as some of the challenges vets face in representing a...
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1:18:18
S6EB: Problematization with Claudia Hirtenfelder
Over the years Claudia has mentioned her PhD research and journey, in this episode Catherine Oliver takes over as host and interviews Claudia about her research. They dwell on the concept of problematization and why it is important for thinking...
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Season 6
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Episode 11
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1:14:21
S6E10: Grad Review with Virginia Thomas and Darren Chang
In this ‘Grad Review’ Claudia talks to Virginia Thomas and Darren Chang, two early career researchers interested in animals and politics. Together they unpack synergies, tensions, and omissions that emerged in the 6th Season of The Animal Turn ...
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Season 6
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Episode 10
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1:30:23
S6E9: International Relations with Andrea Schapper
Claudia talks to Andrea Schapper about animals and international relations with an explicit focus on the United Nations. They discuss how animal rights are absent in the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the promise of the rights of natu...
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Season 6
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Episode 9
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1:10:11
S6E8: Re-Animalization with Krithika Srinivasan
Krithika Srinivasan joins Claudia on the show to talk about re-animalization, a concept that challenges the dominant ways in which human wellbeing are framed. Re-Animalization compels one to think about how development is predicated on logics o...
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Season 6
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Episode 8
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1:12:02
S6E7: Animal Photojournalism with Jo-Anne McArthur
Claudia talks to renowned photographer Jo-Anne McArthur about the power of images in political change for animals. They unpack what animal photojournalism is, some of the challenges photographers encounter in recording the lives of animals, and...
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Season 6
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Episode 7
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1:16:54
S6E6: Social Movement Mobilization and Feminism with Corey Lee Wrenn
In this episode Claudia talks to Corey Lee Wrenn about two concepts that are central to her work in animal studies: social movement mobilization and feminism. They discuss veganism as a social movement as well as some of the ways in which femin...
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Season 6
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Episode 6
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1:14:11
S6E5: Abolition with Gary Francione
Claudia talks to lawyer and philosopher Gary Francione about abolition. Gary provides an overview of how ideas related to animals have emerged and changed since the 19th century. This includes the emergence of animal welfare, animal rights, and...
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Season 6
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Episode 5
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1:37:29
S6E4: Violence with Dinesh Wadiwel
In this episode Dinesh Wadiwel discusses how violence is an important concept in political theory. He outlines how violence can be intersubjective, structural, or epistemic. He delves into how violence and coercion are tools used to try and ach...
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Season 6
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Episode 4
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1:30:40
S6E3: Moral Imagination and Habitat Rights with Steve Cooke
In this episode Steve Cooke discusses the significance of philosophy in helping to foster moral imagination. Such imagination allows for conceptual development, making moral progress and political change possible. With this backdrop, Steve unpa...
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Season 6
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Episode 3
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1:13:42
S6E2: Cosmopolitanism with Angie Pepper
In this episode, Claudia talks to Angie Pepper about cosmopolitanism. Angie explains how despite cosmopolitans having an expansive view of justice, animals are rarely accounted for. They discuss the challenges of including animals in cosmopolit...
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Season 6
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Episode 2
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1:23:14
S6E1: Politics with Will Kymlicka
Claudia launches Season 6 by talking to Will Kymlicka about politics. They discuss how animals remain largely sidelined in political philosophical thought, as compared to other areas of ethics and social theory. Will delves into three different...
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Season 6
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Episode 1
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1:22:24
News: The Animal Turn Shortlisted in the International Women's Podcasting Awards
The Animal Turn has been shortlisted in two categories of the upcoming International Women's Awards to be held on the 6th of November 2023. You can hear the nominated clips in this episode. The Animal Turn was shortlisted in "Momen...
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24:56
Bonus: Interference with Paul Watson
In this bonus episode Claudia talks to Captain Paul Watson about the concept of interference. They discuss his recent book Hitman for the Kindness Club as well as how he uses strategies of “aggressive nonviolence” to combat what he cal...
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1:00:30
Bonus: Phoenix Zones with Hope Ferdowsian
In this episode Claudia talks to public health expert Hope Ferdowsian about Phoenix Zones, a concept that captures places and practices that advance the rights, health, and well-being of people, animals, and our shared environments. They discus...
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1:01:13
Bonus: Justice with Josh Milburn
Podcaster and philosopher Josh Milburn is on the Animal Turn to talk about his latest book and how the concept of justice is central to imagining a future world in which the rights of animals are respected. Claudia and Josh discuss the politica...
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1:25:48
Bonus: Mother with Yamini Narayanan
Yamini Narayanan is back on the show, this time to talk to Claudia about her book Mother Cow, Mother India. They focus their discussion on the concept of “Mother” and what it means for cows in India. They touch on the implications of cows being...
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1:07:01
Bonus: Koalas with Danielle Clode
In this bonus episode Claudia talks to Danielle Clode about her recent book on koalas. They talk about koalas’ incredible bodies and some of their social dynamics, including koalas unique digestive and reproductive systems and their long-distan...
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57:03
Bonus: Wonder (dog) with Jules Howard
Claudia discusses wonder with Jules Howard, author of the book Wonderdog. Using his book a backdrop, they discuss how dogs have influenced (and been influenced) by science. Topics include everything from evolution, to love and responsi...
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1:04:23
Bonus: Animals and Tourism with Carol Kline and Jes Hooper
In this bonus episode Claudia talks to Carol Kline and Jes Hooper about why it is important to think about animals in relation to tourism. They touch on some of the ways animals are included in tourism and how to guard against unwittingly contr...
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1:05:14
S5E10: Grad Review with Oliver French and Amanda Bunten-Walberg
In this final episode of the season Claudia talks to Amanda Bunten-Walberg and Oliver French, two fellow graduate students with interests in biosecurity. They delve into some the core themes in the season (including questions about scale, repro...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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1:37:20
S5E9: One Health with Nina Jamal
In this episode Claudia speaks to Nina Jamal about One Health. They discuss the changing definition of One Health and its significance for biosecurity and animals. They spend time thinking through the challenges and opportunities, particularly ...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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1:10:20