The Species In Between: negotiating animal management in a changing world

Do parakeets belong in Britain? Do Scottish wildcats belong in England? Do domestic cats belong outdoors? Much of my work focuses on disagreements and negotiations about which animals belong where, and about whether or how people should intervene in the lives of other species. The subjects of these debates are often ‘liminal’ animals, living on the thresholds between contested categories: native and non-native, wild and domestic, pet and pest. These categories reflect complex human ideas about belonging, which draw on natural and cultural histories, ecological and social interactions, and concerns for the future of disturbed and changing ecosystems. This seminar is based on ten years of research into the social dimensions of managing introduced, reintroduced, and domestic animals in the UK. I will draw on a range of case examples, including protests to protect urban parakeets, scientific debates about the provenance of wildcats and white storks, and neighbourly disputes over outdoor cats. I will explain and explore the concept of species belonging, demonstrate why this matters, and argue that where an animal belongs should always be a matter open to negotiation.

Please note: We are rebranding the “ESI State of The Art” talks to “ESI Challenge of the Month.” In the former, the talks were focussed around the speaker’s career. For the Challenge of the month, we now hope to put the emphasis on the broader environmental challenge that is being tackled through their research.