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Press Release: Ground-Breaking New Book Explores Ethics and Law in Relation to Animals

7th February 2023

“Animal Ethics and Animal Law” is a new book edited by Professor Andrew Linzey and Dr Clair Linzey from the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics.

This ground-breaking new book, with 28 contributions from academics world-wide, “brilliantly” explores ethics and law in relation to animals.

Professor Joan Schaffner from the George Washington University Law School claims that the book “brilliantly explores the intersection of ethics and law in our treatment of nonhuman animals.”

She continues, that in this book “legal and ethical scholars examine historical moments that inform contemporary issues, discuss the moral status of animals and how such status is reflected in law, and analyse case studies that demonstrate the current failure of law to adequately protect the interests of nonhuman animals.”

Professor Schaffner concludes: “A thoughtful and inspiring read.”

Animal law is a growing discipline, as is animal ethics. Specifically, this collection focuses on pressing moral issues and how law can protect animals from cruelty and abuse.

A project of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, the book is edited by the Centre’s directors, Andrew Linzey and Clair Linzey, and features contributions from many of its fellows.

Divided into three sections, the work explores historical perspectives, and ethical-legal issues such as “personhood” and “property” before focusing on five practical case studies. The volume introduces readers to the interweaving between these subjects and should act as a spur to further interdisciplinary work.

“In terms of pain, suffering, and death, animals rank as one of the major moral issues of all time,” claims Professor Andrew Linzey, “we need academics to collaborate to help prevent animal cruelty and abuse.”

“Animal Ethics and Animal Law” is published by Lexington Books. For more information and to order see here. For a 30% discount use the code: LXFANDF30.

Editor’s Notes:

Dr Clair Linzey is available for interview/comment.

For media enquiries please contact Sophie at Panpathic Communications Sophie@panpathic.com  / 01323440998 / 07815 860 082

The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics is an independent centre devoted to pioneering ethical perspectives on animals through research, teaching, and publication. See www.oxfordanimalethics.com.

Professor Andrew Linzey and Dr Clair Linzey are Directors of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. Previously published work, includes Animal Ethics for Veterinarians (University of Illinois Press), Ethical Vegetarianism and Veganism (Routledge), The Ethical Case against Animal Experiments (University of Illinois Press), The Palgrave Handbook of Practical Animal Ethics (Palgrave Macmillan), and The Routledge Handbook of Religion and Animal Ethics (Routledge).

A film of the Oxford Summer School that gave rise to the book can be viewed on YouTube.