Beach Pluralism Project Talk: “Pluralizing Texts, Methods, and Coalitions in Religious Approaches to Animal Ethics.”
The Beach Pluralism Project has invited Dr. Brianne G. Donaldson (UC Irvine) to speak to the Conoley Fellows on Wednesday, April 9, at 6 pm in the Anatol Patio. Dinner will follow the talk. If you would like to join us, please RSVP. We can welcome up to 15 CSULB community members.
ABSTRACT:
Abstaining from meat consumption has persistently been a source of debate within religious communities, often functioning as a center pivot around which theological or philosophical orthodoxy and orthopraxy turns. Drawing upon diverse ancient practices, motivations, and textual perspectives in Judaism, Christianity, and Indic traditions along with contemporary religious vegetarians, I'll maps three pluralizing stages that religious communities have historically grappled with, are presently attempting, and must continue to tackle, as they re/consider eating animals and animal by-products as part of their ethical identities and community meals: (1) critical, deconstructive engagement of textual multiplicity and interpretive authority, (2) robust analysis of human supremacy in light of animal behavioral studies, new materialist science, and empathic experience, and (3) constructing imaginative coalitions beyond species, institutional boundaries, and cultural identities. While this analysis focuses on human-animal relations, guests are invited to consider how these pluralized stages can function for other socio-ecological issues as well.
