Critical Theory and Animal Liberation

Critical Theory and Animal Liberation is the first collection to look at the human relationship with animals from the critical or _left_ tradition in political and social thought. Breaking with past treatments that have framed the problem as one of _animal rights,_ the authors instead depict the exploitation and killing of other animals as a political question of the first order. The contributions in this volume thus highlight connections between our everyday treatment of animals and other forms of oppression, violence, and domination. Animal domination, the authors suggest, is fundamental to other systems of power, including capitalism and patriarchy. Contributors include well-known writers in the field, such as Carol Adams, author of Living Among the Meat Eaters, and established scholars writing on animals for the first time, such as Carl Boggs and Eduardo Mendieta. The authors draw on critical theory to, among other things, apply Freud's theory of repression to our relationship to the animal, debunk the new _Locavore_ movement, and expose the sexism of the mainstream animal defense movement.

John Sanbonmatsu is associate professor of philosophy at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is the author of The Postmodern Prince: Critical Theory, Left Strategy, and the Making of a New Politic Subject.