The State of Human-Animal Studies

The growth of human-animal studies (HAS) over the past twenty years can be seen in the explosion of new books, journals, conferences, organizations, college programs, listserves, and courses, both in the United States and throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. We look as well at trends in the field, including the increasing popularity of animal-assisted therapy programs, the rise of new fields like transspecies psychology and critical animal studies, and the importance of animal welfare science. We also discuss the problems continuing to face the field, including the conservative culture of universities, the interdisciplinary nature of the field, the current economic crisis, and general anthropocentrism within academia. We end with a discussion of the tension between the scholarly role and the role of animal advocate, and offer some suggestions for HAS to continue to grow.