What is an animal? How should we treat them? What are the differences between a human and an animal? What makes us human? These questions not only affect our stance on animal welfare, they are also relevant to how we see ourselves as human beings. In order to deal with these fundamental questions, this course takes an interdisciplinary approach that utilizes ideas from the natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities. The course can be divided into three main parts. The first part of the course examines the notion of the animal and the human by making use of philosophical, religious, cultural and scientific ideas. The second part of the course tackles issues concerning the treatment of animals, with specific focuses on the question of animal rights, the use of animals as commodities and whether animals should be used in scientific experiments. The final part of the course contains case studies about contemporary issues related to animals. Out-of-classroom activities such as fieldtrips and movie screening will be used to create an all-rounded learning experience.
