Animal Advocacy books/ documentaries.
Please find below the list of books and documentaries that Vegan Ireland recommends.
- Speciesism, by Joan Dunayer.
- Animal Equality, by Joan Dunayer.
- Empty cages, by Tom Regan.
- The case for Animal Rights, by Tom Regan.
- Defending Animal Rights, by Tom Regan.
- Animal sacrifices, by Tom Regan.
- Introduction to Animal Rights, by Gary Francione.
- Rain without Thunder, by Gary Francione.
- Animals, property and the law, by Gary Francione.
- Animals as persons, by Gary Francione.
- Making a killing, by Bob Torres.
- Seal wars, by Paul Watson.
Speciesism.
Author: Joan Dunayer.
Speciesism:"A failure, in attitude or practice, to accord any nonhuman being equal consideration and respect".
Speciesism provides all the arguments on why nonhuman animals deserve life, freedom and other basic rights and how these rights can be recognised.
When will it happen? According to Joan Dunayer, when the public opinion changes and people realise that speciesism is to animal rights what racism and sexism are to human rights.
According to Joan Dunayer, there are 3 categories:
- The old-speciesist who limits rights to humans,
- the new-speciesist who allows rights to nonhumans who are most human-like,
- the nonspeciesist who believes every sentient being should have rights, the right to life and freedom.
Animal Equality.
Author: Joan Dunayer.
Animal Equality is the first book on language and nonhuman oppression ever written in the Animal Rights movement.
Animal Equality demonstrates that the everyday language that we use contains biased words which promote and perpetuate injustice towards nonhuman animals. For example:
- "Mankind" is used for humankind, and "lower" animals for all nonhumans.
- "Animal" refers to a human who behaves roughly,
- "Pig" to point out a human who is dirty,
- "Wildlife management" is a euphemism for "hunting", etc.
Through our language, we continue to:
- Cover-up and desensitize ourselves to our use and treatment of nonhumans,
- Consider them as members of inferior species, as unreasoning or insensitive, which we believe gives us the right to use them as "tools", "things".
Empty cages.
Author: Tom Regan.
Empty Cages in an introduction to the philosophy of Animal Rights, aimed at people who do not know much about the subject.
In an easy to read style, Tom Regan destroys the negative image of Animal Rights advocates perpetrated by the mainstream media and shows that they are instead thoughtful people who follow an argument to its logical conclusion.
Tom Regan also gives an overview of most animal exploitation industries/lobbies and exposes the fraudulent sham of "humane treatment".
The Case for Animal Rights.
Author: Tom Regan.
In this philosophical book, Tom Regan establishes the rights of nonhuman animals, as being individuals with complex mental lives.
This book will appeal to those who want to deepen their argument in favour of AR and those who are interested in philosophy.
A second edition, with a new Introduction, was published in 2004.
Defending Animal Rights.
Author: Tom Regan.
The book is a set of essays that reflects Tom Regan's thinking on human and nonhuman rights in the 90s.
Tom Regan puts the issue of animal rights in an historical context, drawing parallels between animal rights activism and other social movements, including the antislavery movement in the 19th century and the gay-lesbian struggle today.