SOCI 2P75 Forum Instructions:
Throughout the course, you will participate in online written discussions concerning lectures, readings, videos, etc. You should make at least two major comments (4-5 sentences each) and one minor comment (3 sentences) each. Your comments should be original so points will not be given for simply agreeing with others or repeating others’ comments. Also, do not just make 3 comments and leave the discussion. Instead, you should demonstrate that you are engaged with what others are saying. Lack of such engagement will result in lost marks. (Please write 2 discussion post and one reply to another. Students. Discussion post that. Will be provided.) READING FOR PART 1: (Who are the Canids? continued: Dhole; Dingo; African Wild Dog Reading: Dog’s Best Friend? (DBF) Ch.5CHARLES; & 6 MCCREANOR CHAPTER 5 AND 6 PDF) Question for discussion
post 1: (refer to the example below on how the format should look) Each answer should be 4-5 sentences
Q1: Why did Mikuse’s neighbours respond as they did to her efforts to protect animals? What does this chapter tell us about speciesist contradictions?
Q2: What is the most effective way to deal with wildlife living in proximity to humans?
(3 to 4 sentence reply to students discussion post) New! Week 2 Forum Post Mark as Read Reply 1. What does Charles mean when she talks about “posthuman families”? When Charles talks about post-human families she is focusing attention on the ways we consider pets as part of our families through our social interactions and social values surrounding these domesticated animals. Charles aims to look beyond human social values and challenge anthropocentrism in the context of the family and focus on how animals play a significant role in shaping a family. The discussion of the species barrier is crucial when thinking about post-human families because it is becoming blurred as meaningful kinship ties with animals are becoming more common. 2. What are the implications of thinking about dogs as part of the family? Dogs as part of the family provide us with many different beneficial implications like companionship, emotional support, protection and looking beyond Western values, spiritual guidance. Dogs as pets have a significant role within the family since they provide a type of support that other members cannot. For example, in Charles’
qualitative study, a woman’s dog helped her get through a divorce merely due to him being there with her. In chapter 6 of Dog’s Best Friend, McCreanor et al. (2019) analyze the physical and spiritual guarding of Indigenous Bali Dogs to Bali families. This is separate from the Westernized ideas of domesticated dogs as pets since the purpose of these dogs is to act as guards for their human families and warn them of negative spirits (McCreanor et al., 2019).
3. Discuss the idea of dogs as family members in relation to the fact that many are produced as commodities in puppy mills. Charles’ argued that even though it is painful to lose a pet, they are typically deemed disposable and replaceable by society. This argument relates to the idea that they are treated as both human and non-human animals in certain aspects of a family structure. Unfortunately, dogs are treated and advertised as objects when it comes to unethical breeders, who target families looking for a companion and make thousands of dollars off one dog. The idea on its own that dogs can become family justifies the thousands of dollars these families spend, however, they are unaware of the conditions in which these puppies are raised. When welcoming a dog into a family, research is crucial to ensure that the dog comes from a responsible breeder or even rescued from a shelter.
Part 2: READING FOR PART 2 (chapter 12 PDF)
Question for discussion Post 2: Each answer should be 4-5 sentences Q1: What does Charles mean when she talks about “posthuman families”? What are the implications of thinking about dogs as part of the family?
Q2: Discuss the idea of dogs as family members in relation to the fact that many are produced as commodities in puppy mills.
(3 to 4 sentense reply to students post below) New! Week 3
Mark as Read Reply 1. Why did Mikuse’s neighbours respond as they did to her efforts to protect animals? As Mikuse’s neighbours became distressed that the coyotes they had seen may harm or even kill their own cats, they were not fond of Mikuse’s efforts to save and protect wildlife such as coyotes. Due to the fact that instead of listening to the information that Mikuse’s had to say, the neighbours were stuck in a fixed mindset that the only solution was to get rid of the coyotes for good. The family’s pets and the coyotes could have easily coexisted if proper steps were taken, and the correct information was relayed in the first place. Due to the fixed mindset the community grew to have, Mikuse became ostracized for her efforts to protect animals. 2. What does this chapter tell us about speciesist contradictions? In the reading, we see speciesist contradictions in the community that Mikuse’s lives in, as there were contradictions in the ideas of how to deal with the coyotes. The contractions were threatening and non threatening to the coyotes. The neighbours wanted their pets’ lives to come first as they were fed misinformation about the coyotes, but Mikuse did not want anything to happen to the coyotes, as she believed they were capable of coexistence. 3. What is the most effective way to deal with wildlife living in proximity to humans? The best way for us humans to coexist with wildlife without causing harm to one another is all about the information we are given. If we continue to allow ourselves to be educated about proper facts to do with wildlife, we are able to base our interactions with animals in a proper manner. This chapter did a great job explaining why knowing of the right information is so detrimental to the safety of our wildlife.