Call for Papers

Call for Papers: 2023 Oxford Animal Ethics Summer School

Animals and the Media
Communicating Ethical Perspectives on Animals

The media in all its forms (including, print, broadcast, social, cinematic, literary, and artistic) dominate our lives. Our Summer School will critically examine the role of the media in representing animals both positively and negatively. We shall also examine the ways in which the media represents the cause of animals and those individuals and societies who seek to protect them.

Among the questions we shall be asking are: What does or doesn’t attract the media to animal issues? How objective or accurate are their depictions? How can animal advocates effectively communicate positive ideas about animals? Does the media advance or hinder the protection of animals? What are the ethical issues associated, inter alia, with “wildlife photography” and the television portrayal of free living animals?

We are inviting academics worldwide, including historians, social scientists, artists, psychologists, professional communicators, theologians, philosophers, and lawyers, to present at our Eighth Annual Oxford Animal Ethics Summer School at Merton College, Oxford, 7-10th August, 2023. We shall also invite individuals with first hand media experience to contribute.

All selected papers will be considered for publication in book form or in the Journal of Animal Ethics.

We are seeking original abstracts of no more than 200 words. All abstracts must be focused on the topic of this year’s Summer School in order to be considered. Please send abstracts to the Director of the Annual Oxford Animal Ethics Summer School, Dr Clair Linzey at depdirector@oxfordanimalethics.com.  The closing date for abstracts is 5th February, 2023.