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Creating conservation
Title
Creating conservation: the role of zoos in the future of biodiversity conservation.
Creator
Selby, Megan, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description
Once seen as entertainment organizations, many American zoos now strongly promote themselves as agencies of biodiversity conservation, a reorientation prompted in part by growing public concern about endangered species. Funding, research, conservation efforts, and captive breeding programs are the concrete tools that allow zoos to lay claim to their contributions, but it is their more subtle cues that leave a lasting impression with zoo visitors. The exhibits, layout, signage, and...
Show moreOnce seen as entertainment organizations, many American zoos now strongly promote themselves as agencies of biodiversity conservation, a reorientation prompted in part by growing public concern about endangered species. Funding, research, conservation efforts, and captive breeding programs are the concrete tools that allow zoos to lay claim to their contributions, but it is their more subtle cues that leave a lasting impression with zoo visitors. The exhibits, layout, signage, and presentations reflect prevailing attitudes about nature, wildlife, exotic species, and shape ideas about how animals live their lives and what they are like in the wild. This project examines tensions between the public presentation of conservation goals and concrete contributions to conservation. Zoos are one of the few places where the public can see firsthand many animals in an up-close environment and the impact of zoos on the future of conservation may be dependent upon resolving such tensions.
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Date Issued
2006
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/11579
Subject Headings
Wildlife conservation, Zoos, Philosophy, Animal welfare, Human-animal relationships
Format
Document (PDF)
Perceptions of animal minds
Title
Perceptions of animal minds.
Creator
Maurer, Lauren N., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description
Previous research into people's perceptions of animals suggests that people view animals most favorably when they perceive them as being mentally like humans. This thesis examined whether animals perceived as threatening are still seen to be mentally similar to humans, but more likely to experience mental states associated with anger and aggression. Using three separate measures of people's perceptions of animals, including one designed for this study, it was found that participants did...
Show morePrevious research into people's perceptions of animals suggests that people view animals most favorably when they perceive them as being mentally like humans. This thesis examined whether animals perceived as threatening are still seen to be mentally similar to humans, but more likely to experience mental states associated with anger and aggression. Using three separate measures of people's perceptions of animals, including one designed for this study, it was found that participants did indeed view the mental lives of animals differently when those animals were perceived to be threatening. Examination of the effect of the animal chosen showed that some animals are inherently seen as more threatening and less-human like. The implications of these findings for animal conservation efforts, reduction of human-animal conflict, and anthropomorphism in the study of animal cognition were discussed.
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Date Issued
2010
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2978987
Subject Headings
Cognition in animals, Human-animal relationships, Animal behavior
Format
Document (PDF)
Jaws of significance
Title
Jaws of significance: the conservationist's perception of the shark in South Florida.
Creator
Nason, Patrick., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description
In examining the intentional relationship between the conservationist and the shark in South Florida, this thesis considers the latter as both a scarce natural resource - caught up in what Clifford Geertz citing Weber referred to as "webs of significance" (Geertz 1973:5) - and as a reflection of dynamic human conceptions of nature : a meta shark. This complex relationship is described by interpretations of conservation discourse recorded through ethnographic interviews that demonstrate how...
Show moreIn examining the intentional relationship between the conservationist and the shark in South Florida, this thesis considers the latter as both a scarce natural resource - caught up in what Clifford Geertz citing Weber referred to as "webs of significance" (Geertz 1973:5) - and as a reflection of dynamic human conceptions of nature : a meta shark. This complex relationship is described by interpretations of conservation discourse recorded through ethnographic interviews that demonstrate how these perceptions have been influenced by factors such as personal experiences, film and text, and broad changes in the relationship between humans and nature since the early days of the environmental movement. By linking these perceptual changes with changes in American shark conservation policy, this work not only explains a relationship between culture, perception, and policy, but also celebrates the emergence of a multispecies marine community.
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Date Issued
2012
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3358755
Subject Headings
Sharks, Conservation, Predation (Biology), Wildlife conservation, Aquatic resources conservation, Marine animals, Ecology, Human-animal relationships
Format
Document (PDF)
Time-activity budgets and displacement rates in Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus) in the absence and presence of humans
Title
Time-activity budgets and displacement rates in Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus) in the absence and presence of humans.
Creator
Abernathy, Jim., Florida Atlantic University, Adams, Ralph M.
Abstract/Description
The effects of human presence on displacement behavior and time-activity budgets of free-ranging manatees (Trichechus manatus) are poorly known. The congregation of manatees and human tourists in the warm waters of Crystal River, Florida, during the winter months offered a unique opportunity to study these effects. Focal animal sampling was used to gather behavioral data on manatees during randomly selected daylight sampling periods. Frequencies of displacement were correlated with numbers of...
Show moreThe effects of human presence on displacement behavior and time-activity budgets of free-ranging manatees (Trichechus manatus) are poorly known. The congregation of manatees and human tourists in the warm waters of Crystal River, Florida, during the winter months offered a unique opportunity to study these effects. Focal animal sampling was used to gather behavioral data on manatees during randomly selected daylight sampling periods. Frequencies of displacement were correlated with numbers of humans to determine if incidences of displacement were increased. Displacement increased with human presence. Maintenance and sexual behaviors decreased as human presence increased.
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Date Issued
1995
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15176
Subject Headings
Manatees--Florida, West Indian manatee--Florida, Human-animal relationships
Format
Document (PDF)
For Pets’ Sake: Is There a Need for Dog Safety Community Education?
Title
For Pets’ Sake: Is There a Need for Dog Safety Community Education?.
Creator
Falcone, Jaclyn Nicole, Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description
The history of the human-canine relationship and the human-canine bond is longstanding and has grown and developed throughout the years. Today, dogs are considered part of the family and are beneficial in impacting people across the United States. Introducing the community to dog safety education may strengthen the awareness and confidence of dog lovers across the state of Florida and hopefully reduce the number of preventable dog emergencies. This research suggested the reasons for dog...
Show moreThe history of the human-canine relationship and the human-canine bond is longstanding and has grown and developed throughout the years. Today, dogs are considered part of the family and are beneficial in impacting people across the United States. Introducing the community to dog safety education may strengthen the awareness and confidence of dog lovers across the state of Florida and hopefully reduce the number of preventable dog emergencies. This research suggested the reasons for dog ownership and the importance of protecting our beloved canines by presenting a literature review covering the evolution of the human-canine relationship, human-canine bond, positive effects of canines on humans, history of humane education to demonstrate the importance of dogs in the lives of American citizens and an overview of community education and the importance dog safety community education. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to understand the current state of dog safety community education in Florida and to introduce the need for policies and procedures for dog safety training for adults, if needed based on the research. This topic was analyzed through a needs assessment administered through a Parks & Recreation department in south Florida and online through social media. Ten key informants were selected to interview for an in-depth understanding of their perspective on this topic. Document analysis was conducted to see if results of the needs assessment were addressed in brochures and other media locally. The participants were community members of Florida who were also dog owners. Participants were adults over the age of 18. The participants’ anonymity was protected, as no names were collected from the survey. After carefully examining data collected from 10 interviews, document analysis, and surveys of 150 participants who are dog owners in Florida, the researcher of this study revealed factors that show substantial value that dog owners place on their dogs and interest in educational opportunities to protect their safety. The significance of this study presented additional research dispelling a misconception that dog safety education as easily accessible and available in Florida based communities. This study was also significant because it contributes to the literature by identifying the value dog owners place on their dogs, as demonstrated in both survey and document analysis.
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Date Issued
2017
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004814, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004814
Subject Headings
Human-animal relationships., Animal welfare--Moral and ethical aspects., Social values--United States., Humane education., Safety education.
Format
Document (PDF)
philosophy of the animal in 20th century literature
Title
The philosophy of the animal in 20th century literature.
Creator
Johnson, Jamie, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of English
Abstract/Description
The following dissertation examines the philosophy of the animal as it appears in twentieth-century British and American literature. I argue that evolutionary theory, along with the Romantic emphasis on sympathy, creates an historical shift in our perception of humans and nonhumans. Beginning with Herman Melville's classic novel, Moby-Dick, the whale represents what I call a transitional animal figure in that the whale not only shows the traditionally symbolic literary animal but also the...
Show moreThe following dissertation examines the philosophy of the animal as it appears in twentieth-century British and American literature. I argue that evolutionary theory, along with the Romantic emphasis on sympathy, creates an historical shift in our perception of humans and nonhumans. Beginning with Herman Melville's classic novel, Moby-Dick, the whale represents what I call a transitional animal figure in that the whale not only shows the traditionally symbolic literary animal but also the beginnings of the twentieth century shift toward the literal animal-as-subject. My proposed comparative analysis consists of a return to classic existential and phenomenological philosophers with animal studies in mind. A handful of critical essays in recent years have conducted just such an analysis. My contribution extends these philosophical endeavors on the animal and applies them to major literary authors who demonstrate a notable interest in the philosophy of animals. The first chapter of the dissertation begins with D.H. Lawrence, whose writings in selected essays, St. Mawr, and "The Fox" continue considerations made by Melville concerning animal being. Because Lawrence often focuses on gender, sexuality, and intuition, I discuss how a Heideggerian reading of animals in Lawrence adds value to interpretations of his fiction which remain unavailable in analyses of human subjects. In Chapter Two, I move on to William Faulkner's classic hunting tale of "The Bear" and other significant animal sightings in his fiction and nonfiction. For Faulkner, the animal subject exists in the author's particular historical climate of American environmentalism, modernism's literary emphasis on visuality, and race theory., This combination calls for a natural progression from a Heideggerian existential phenomenology: a contemporary Sartrean reading of animal being. Finally, the last chapter examines J.M. Coetzee, an author whose texts show the accumulated existential and phenomenological progression in the philosophy of the animal with a combined interest in current political and social issues surrounding animal life in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
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Date Issued
2009
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/192984
Subject Headings
Symbolism in literature, Animals (Philosophy), Human-animal relationships in literature, Animals in literature, American prose literature, Criticism and interpretation, English prose literature, Criticism and interpretation
Format
Document (PDF)
From the horse's mouth
Title
From the horse's mouth: speech and speciesism in Cordwainer Smith and Sheri S. Tepper.
Creator
Cox, Jennifer K., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of English
Abstract/Description
This thesis challenges dualistic human and animal ontologies by interpreting science fiction (sf) literature, and argues that whereas words can equivocate and obscure meaning, bodies do not lie. Linguistics and semiology extend the definition of "language" to include human and nonhuman gestures and movement, and posthumanist theory expands definitions of "human" and "animal" to explore species boundaries. Scrutinizing opposing dualisms ultimately questions Western epistemology and authority,...
Show moreThis thesis challenges dualistic human and animal ontologies by interpreting science fiction (sf) literature, and argues that whereas words can equivocate and obscure meaning, bodies do not lie. Linguistics and semiology extend the definition of "language" to include human and nonhuman gestures and movement, and posthumanist theory expands definitions of "human" and "animal" to explore species boundaries. Scrutinizing opposing dualisms ultimately questions Western epistemology and authority, allowing for an exploration of embodied animal communications within the larger discourse on species and speciesism. This perspective results in a more comprehensive understanding of the interdependence of all species: human, animal, and "other." Although the fictional texts I employ use fantastic elements to posit hypothetical realities, current scientific research reveals that communication with nonhuman animals is indeed possible.
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Date Issued
2013
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3360775
Subject Headings
Criticism and enterpretation, Criticism and enterpretation, Human-animal relationships, Interpersonal communication, Animal communication, Language and emotions, Emotive (Linguistics)
Format
Document (PDF)
Liberating menageries
Title
Liberating menageries: animal speaking and "survivance" in Elizabeth Bishop and Gerald Vizenor.
Creator
Frost, Tiffany J., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of English
Abstract/Description
This thesis demonstrates the ways that nonhuman characters in the literature of Elizabeth Bishop and Gerald Vizenor subvert anthropocentrism, thereby contributing to an ongoing reconsideration of political and ethical approaches to species discourse. Jacques Derrida's work on the philosophical questions regarding nonhuman animals is combined with Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak's postcolonial perspective on "subaltern speaking" and representation, while Gerald Vizenor's theory of "survivance"...
Show moreThis thesis demonstrates the ways that nonhuman characters in the literature of Elizabeth Bishop and Gerald Vizenor subvert anthropocentrism, thereby contributing to an ongoing reconsideration of political and ethical approaches to species discourse. Jacques Derrida's work on the philosophical questions regarding nonhuman animals is combined with Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak's postcolonial perspective on "subaltern speaking" and representation, while Gerald Vizenor's theory of "survivance" provides the theoretical grounding for approaching literary representations of animals within this project. The authors in this study challenge false hierarchical species divisions by constructing fictional spaces that imagine the perspectives of nonhuman beings, consider the importance interspecies relationships, and recontextualize the voices and communication of nonhumans. In providing these counter-narratives, these authors establish a relationship with readers that invites them to reconsider the ramifications of their own ideology of species, reminding them that theory and practice must coexist.
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Date Issued
2013
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362340
Subject Headings
Criticism and interpretation, Criticism and interpretation, Speciesism, Animals (Philosophy), Animals in literature, Human-animal relationships in literature, Resemblance (Philosophy)
Format
Document (PDF)
"Our fellows in mortality"
Title
"Our fellows in mortality": kindness to animals in Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure.
Creator
Brockway, Jessica L., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description
In Jude the Obscure, Thomas Hardy depicts characters who are especially sensitive to the suffering of all living creatures and thus engages his novel in the topic of animal rights. In this project I examine the human-animal relationships in Hardy's novel in terms of the ideas of two different philosophers: Peter Singer and Cora Diamond. I argue that, while Singer at first seems to provide a useful model for understanding these relationships in Jude, Diamond's account of these relationships is...
Show moreIn Jude the Obscure, Thomas Hardy depicts characters who are especially sensitive to the suffering of all living creatures and thus engages his novel in the topic of animal rights. In this project I examine the human-animal relationships in Hardy's novel in terms of the ideas of two different philosophers: Peter Singer and Cora Diamond. I argue that, while Singer at first seems to provide a useful model for understanding these relationships in Jude, Diamond's account of these relationships is ultimately a more helpful tool for understanding Hardy's ideas about animals. Diamond helps us see that Hardy believes people should help all living creatures in pain, no matter the cost to themselves, not because they recognize their suffering, but because they recognize a shared commonality with all sentient creatures.
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Date Issued
2010
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3334248
Subject Headings
Criticism and interpretation, Criticism and interpretation, Criticism and interpretation, Animal rights (Philosophy), Human-animal relationships in literature, Symbolism in literature, Animals and civilization
Format
Document (PDF)