No Kill Nation?
This is a Community Based Learning section. In this course, we will deepen our understanding of what constitutes a good society by examining issues of companion animal welfare from multiple perspectives, including public policy, ethics, the biological and social sciences, and others as dictated by the specific problems you choose to address. This course extends the Pacific Seminar 1 themes of civil society, politics, and relations with the natural world. How does our treatment of companion animals reflect our values as a society? At the same time that Americans spend $41 billion per year on their pets, approximately four million unwanted dogs and cats are killed in animal shelters each year. How does our increasing understanding of animals change our notion of their needs and of our responsibilities toward them? In addition to exploring these questions through readings and other media, we will conduct community based research and action projects to deepen our understanding and contribute to improved outcomes for animals.
This course is a good choice for you if you are interested in animal welfare and if you are willing to take initiative and work productively and collaboratively with other students, the instructor, and a community organization.