The Animal Rights Struggle: An Essay in Historical Sociology [Hardcover]

Since the early nineteenth century, numerous campaigns have denounced the mistreatment of animals. Originally published in French asLa cause animale, this book compares the British and French histories of the animal-protection movement to retrace its origins and assess its impact up to the present day. As Christophe Traïni shows, the struggle for animal rights—inextricably linked to the rise of philanthropy and established long before the birth of the ecology movement—developed out of several important social and political processes, including changes in sensibilities and socially approved emotions, new definitions of what constitutes legitimate violence, and the influence of religious beliefs.

Christophe Traïniis professor of political science at the Institute of Political Science in Aix-en-Provence.

“Well written and clearly argued . . . this book should appeal to all audiences. Highly recommended.”