Animal Question and the Critical Animal Studies: Position of the non-human in the social sciences

Rad nastoji unutar teorijskih okvira sociologije i kulturne antropologije istraživački fokus preusmjeriti na zanemarenu i banaliziranu problematiku ne-ljudskog Drugog. Pojam ne-ljudskog Drugog odnosi se na životinju koja u kontekstu kritičke animalistike zauzima poziciju antropološkog Drugog. U duhu tradicije feminističkih i rasnih studija, te post-kolonijalne, multikulturalne i postmodernističke kritike, trans/posthumani pristupi okreću se ne-ljudskim bićima, konkretnije, ispitivanju odnosa ljudi i životinja u suvremenom društvu. Potreba za decentralizacijom ljudskog subjekta te za proširenjem akademskog prostora koji će uključiti životinje prepoznata je kao reakcija na zapadnjački, duboko antropocentričan okvir kojim raspolažu prirodne i društveno-humanističke znanosti, u svrhu stvaranja protuteže u razmatranju i preslagivanju ideološkog koncepta životinje. Životinjsko pitanje i 'animal turn' koji se sve više uvlači u pore antropološke i sociološke discipline, podrazumijeva prelazak antropocentrične barijere ljudskog i ne-ljudskog te kritiku ostalih binarnih pozicija koje doprinose alijenaciji čovjeka od njegove prirodne osnovice. Rad sažima postojeće doprinose i angažman usmjeren na revitalizaciju animalističke problematike u svijetu i na hrvatskoj sceni, upućuje na doprinos i nasljeđe Frankfurtske sociološke škole i kritičke teorije u vidu razvijanja animalistike, izlaže multi/inter/transdisciplinarni pristup viševrsne etnografije i njegov značaj u transformaciji antropološke discipline te ukazuje na potrebu razvijanja radikalnije struje kritičke animalistike koja se kroz znanstveno-aktivistički pristup bavi tabuiziranim temama eksploatacije i nasilja.This thesis aims to redirect the exploratory focus of existing theoretical framework of sociology and anthropology toward the severely neglected problem of the non-human Other. The term “non-human Other” refers to the animal that takes the position of the anthropological Other in the context of critical animal studies. In the spirit of feminist studies and the studies of race as well as postcolonial, multicultural and postmodern criticism, trans/posthuman approaches take on the study of non-human beings as they aim to evaluate human – animal relations in contemporary society. The need to decentralise the human subject and to widen the academic space to encompass animals has been notably recognised as a reaction to the deeply anthropocentric Western frame of thought adorned by the natural as well as the social sciences in order to create a counter balance to the ideological concept of the animal. The animal issue and the “animalturn” that continues to infiltrate the disciplines of sociology and anthropology presupposes the crossing of the anthropocentric barrier between the human and non-human and features a critical stance of any and all binary positions that contribute to the alienation of Human from his natural essence. The thesis analyses the existing body of work aimed toward the revitalisation of the animal issue by Croatian academics as well as on the global scale; points to the contribution and legacy of the Frankfurt School and critical theory in the development of animal studies; presents a multi/inter/transdisciplinary approach of multispecies ethnography and its significance for the transformation of anthropology; and argues that there is a growing need for the development of a more radical stream of critical animal studies that utilises a combination of science and activism to deal with the taboo themes of exploitation and violence