Description
Book SynopsisDo animals have legal rights? This pioneering book tells readers everything they need to know about animal rights law. Using straightforward examples from over 30 legal systems from both the civil and common law traditions, and based on popular courses run by the authors at the Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights, the book takes the reader from the earliest anti-cruelty laws to modern animal welfare laws, to recent attempts to grant basic rights and personhood to animals. To help readers understand this legal evolution, it explains the ethics, legal theory, and social issues behind animal rights and connected topics such as property, subjecthood, dignity, and human rights. The book’s companion website (bloomsbury.pub/animal-rights-law) provides access to briefs on the latest developments in this fast-changing area, and gives readers the tools to investigate their own legal systems with a list of key references to the latest cases, legislation, and jurisdiction-specific bibliographic references. Rich in exercises and study aids, this easy-to-use introduction is a prime resource for students from all disciplines and for anyone else who wants to understand how animals are protected by the law.
Trade ReviewI think this is an absolutely fantastic book and will be a great resource for students. -- Russil Durrant * Victoria University of Wellington *
Table of ContentsIntroduction
1. The Current Legal Status of Animals I. Introduction II. The Property Status of Animals III. Legislation Protecting Animals IV. Constitutional Law V. International Law VI. Animal Protection Laws in Practice VII. Conclusion
2. Welfarism vs Abolitionism, a Dichotomy? I. Introduction II. Classic Welfarism III. Abolitionism IV. New Welfarism V. Beyond the Dichotomy VI. Conclusion
3. Philosophical Foundations of Animal Rights I. Introduction II. Peter Singer’s Utilitarianism III. Tom Regan’s Deontological Approach IV. Martha Nussbaum’s Capabilities Approach V. Sue Donaldson and Will Kymlicka’s Political Theory VI. Critical Approaches to Animal Rights VII. Conclusion
4. The Legal Theory of Animal Rights I. Introduction II. Are Animals Fit to have Legal Rights? III. Do Animals Already have Legal Rights? IV. Would Animals Need to Become Legal Persons? V. Conclusion
5. Animal Rights and Human Rights I. Introduction II. Should Only Humans have Human Rights? III. Should Animals have Similar Rights to Humans? IV. How Could Human and Animal Rights be Reconciled Legally? V. Conclusion
6. Animal Rights in Litigation I. Introduction II. Animals and the Issue of Legal Standing to Bring an Action III. Animals as Subjects of Habeas Corpus IV. Fundamental Rights and Personhood Litigation Beyond Habeas Corpus V. Conclusion
7. Animal Rights in Legislation I. Introduction II. Domestic Proposals for Animal Rights Laws III. International Proposals for Animal Rights Laws IV. Drafting Animal Rights Laws V. Conclusion
8. Animal Rights as a Social Justice Movement I. Introduction II. The Animal Rights Movement as Abolitionist III. Animal Rights and Connections with Other Rights Movements IV. Learning Lessons V. Conclusion Conclusion
