Women, Destruction, and the Avant-Garde: A Paradigm for Animal Liberation
By: Kim Socha
Amsterdam/New York, NY, 2012, XIV, 258 pp.
Pb: 978-90-420-3423-5
€ 54 / US$ 81

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ABOUT THE BOOK

This interdisciplinary study fuses analysis of feminist literature and manifestos, radical political theory, critical vanguard studies, women’s performance art, and popular culture to argue for the animal liberation movement as successor to the liberationist visions of the early twentieth-century avant-gardes, most especially the Surrealists. These vanguard groups are judiciously critiqued for their refusal to confront their own misogyny, a quandary that continues to plague animal activists, thereby disallowing for cohesion and full recognition of women’s value within a culturally marginalized cause.

This volume is of interest to anyone who is concerned about the continued—indeed, escalating—violence against nonhumans. More broadly, it will interest those seeking new pathways to challenge the dominant power constructions through which oppression of humans, nonhumans, and the environment thrives. Women, Destruction, and the Avant-Garde ultimately poses the animal liberation movement as having serious political and cultural implications for radical social change, destruction of hierarchy and for a world without shackles and cages, much as the Surrealists envisioned.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword – Helena Pedersen and Vasile Stanescu: Series Editor’s Introduction: What is “Critical” about Animal Studies? From the Animal “Question” to the Animal “Condition”

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Rooting for the Avant-Garde

I. Avant-Garde Women Writers and Destruction in the Flesh

II. Staring Back in the Flesh: Avant-Garde Performance as an ALM Paradigm

III. Convulsive Beauty, Infinite Spheres and Irrational Reasons: Reverie on a New Consciousness

Conclusion: Love and Laughter Now: Plucking at Stems or Uprooting Oppression?

Works Cited

Index

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Kim Socha is an animal activist and sits on the board of the Animal Rights Coalition in Minneapolis, MN. Holding a Ph.D. in English Literature and Criticism, she works as a composition and literature instructor with publications in the areas of surrealism, Latino literature and pedagogy.

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While some student-governed animal rights groups are relegated to a second-class status amongst collegiate clubs and organizations, Paths to Animal Liberation (PAL) worked to defy this norm by fulfilling their school’s requirements, policies, and guidelines to be officially recognized.  On the campus of Hunter College, the largest college in the City University of New York (CUNY) system, PAL was successfully deemed a 1st Year Charter Club by their administration, and therefore receives funds of $1,000 annually for their activities.  With official elections and an executive board, PAL not only maintains a validated and legitimized presence on their campus, but they do so with a hard-line vegan message.

Since its inception a mere nine months ago, and with a core membership of only 15 individuals, PAL exemplifies ardent activism as they have organized numerous film screenings, hosted guest speakers, distributed free vegan food samples to students and faculty, conducted public vegan cooking demonstrations, setup outreach tables on an average of twice per month, and cultivated a mailing list of over 200 people.  Most notably, PAL was also able to make incremental changes toward veganizing their campus cafeteria by inclusively educating the appropriate staff members of their needs, delivering a petition of over 300 signatures, persistently initiating all lines of communication, and inevitably succeeding in bringing specifically-labeled vegan meals to the cafeteria three days a week.

In the months to come, PAL seeks to improve the efficacy of their outreach, fully veganize their cafeteria, and increase their presence on campus.  Recently, the group has constructed a facebook page to better disseminate information and is now developing plans to design their own website.  In addition to college funds, PAL also seeks assistance and resources to expand its reach from external sources such as Farm Underground, Mercy For Animals, Win Animal Rights, and the Tri-State Area’s most active animal rights group Friends of Animals United NJ (FAUN) in organizing events, strategizing effective means of animal advocacy, and acquiring relevant outreach media/literature.

To learn more about this group, discover ways you can implement similar strategies, or to simply share ideas and resources, please feel free to contact PAL with the information below.

Contact:           Danielle Amodeo (Founder/President)
Email:               pal.hunter@yahoo.com
Facebook:       http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=158063214208388

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Gene Baur
Author and Co-Founder of Farm Sanctuary

Book Signing and Talk

April 13, 2011

7 to 8pm

Moffett Hall 2125

SUNY Cortland, New York

Gene Baur is co‑founder and president of Farm Sanctuary, America’s leading farm animal protection organization. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from California State University, Northridge and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from Cornell University. He has conducted hundreds of visits to farms, stockyards, and slaughterhouses to document conditions. His pictures and videotape, exposing factory farming cru…elty, have been aired nationally and internationally, educating millions. Gene has testified in court and before local, state and federal legislative bodies, and has initiated groundbreaking legal enforcement and legislative action to prevent farm animal abuse. He played an important role in passing the first U.S. laws to prohibit cruel farming methods – including the Florida ban on gestation crates, the Arizona ban on veal and gestation crates, the California ban on veal and gestation crates and battery cages, and the California ban on foie gras. His efforts have been covered by leading news organizations, including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, National Public Radio, ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN. His book, entitled Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food, was published by Touchstone in March, 2008 and has appeared on the Los Angeles Times and Boston Globe best seller lists.

More about Gene at: http://www.genebaur.org/

Sponsored by:
Anthony Nocella’s Deviant Behavior Course and Cortland Animal Allies

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Love and Liberation: An Animal Liberation Front Story
Sarat Colling and Anthony J. Nocella II
Lara Drew Illustrations
Published by Arissa Media Group (coming soon)
www.arissa.org

ABOUT LOVE AND LIBERATION

Gabriella and Andre are an everyday couple working up the corporate ladder in Houston, Texas. With a brand new condo, plans for marriage and successful careers, their lives are set – or so they think. One night while taking out the trash, Gabriella inadvertently gets a glimpse into the underground world of animal liberationists. Unsure what to make of it, she begins an investigation which leads to some shocking realizations. Soon the couple is delving deeper into a covert movement of radical animal liberationists labeled by the FBI as a top domestic threat. Armed with nonviolent tactics and love in their heart, the couple educates and trains to free those who are caged. With captivating black and white illustrations, this is an action-packed, fun and informative read.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

You can see how it happens: the oblivious couple has their comfortable lives interrupted by a revelation that slowly makes it impossible for them to carry on as before. What seems a quick, easy read turns out to also be a true story of evolution that leaves the reader asking, “How shall I change my life?”

- Ingrid Newkirk, founder PETA, and author of “Free the Animals: The Untold Story of the Animal Liberation Front in America”

You could spend days researching animal rights, or you could read Colling and Nocella’s Love and Liberation and get an entertaining crash course that deftly illustrates the basic ideology of animal liberation and drops tantalizing breadcrumbs for the reader to follow into deeper study.

- Denis Henry Hennelly, Director, Writer, and Editor of “Bold Native”

“Love and Liberation” confronts us with a question many ask ourselves: ask nicely for exploiters to deliver animals’ freedom, or start taking it? Attend another protest, or start breaking down doors? This book explores one couple’s answer to these questions. With knowledge comes responsibility. And here two people learn that the knowledge of billions of animals imprisoned brings the responsibility to do whatever it takes to free them.

- Peter Young, former Animal Liberation Front political prisoner

What I like about Love and Liberation is its sensitivity to an intersectional vision. It must be the best AR fiction read since Rage and Reason

- Dr. Richard Twine, author of “Animals as Biotechnology: Ethics, Sustainability and Critical Animal Studies”

Intriguing. Exciting. Heart-wrenching and exposing, Love and Liberation takes you on a wondrous journey of self discovery, forcing you to delve into your own conscious behavior begging answers to questions you might have never even contemplated. This is a must read!

- Shannon Keith, Director of “Behind the Mask: The Story Of The People Who Risk Everything To Save Animals”

“Love and Liberation” is a gripping tale of courage and compassion; it at once entertains and educates, inspires and informs. This short story manages to address a multitude of issues, all within a powerfully written narrative.

- Melanie Joy, Ph.D., author of “Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows”

In crafting the beautiful Love and Liberation: An Animal Liberation Front Story authors Sarat Colling and Anthony Nocella have provided a transformative understanding of our relationship with other animal species. The careful planning of the characters match the careful craft of the authors; each bringing to light the spirit of the movement and illustrating the drive and conviction of those who liberate and in turn liberate themselves.

- Dylan Powell, Vegan Police Radio

A touching and thought-provoking story that puts a new spin on the question of what love is and what role it should play in our life. We all know that love for one another brings two people together, but what about compassion for animals and a desire for justice? Crime, passion, sorrow, pleasure, pain and love blend together in unforeseen ways as two intelligent and sensitive individuals try to navigate a world that is not nearly as simple as it seems.

- Nick Cooney, author of “Change of Heart: What Psychology Can Teach Us About Spreading Social Change”

Captivatingly written, Love and Liberation is a true to life and heartfelt story about people deciding to fight for something meaningful in this cruel and oppressive world… something bigger than themselves in a society that rewards self-interest and hypocritically represses freedom struggle. Outlining some intelligent guerrilla strategies, this could be the story of any potential animal liberationist, any budding Earth liberationist, anyone looking to take the struggle for freedom underground.

- Leslie James Pickering, author of “Mad Bomber Melville” and was a founder and spokesperson for the North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office

In this engaging story, love and compassion abound as the heroes are emancipated from the consumeristic prison of cheeseburgers and leather shoes while they work enthusiastically to free nonhuman animals. I will never tire of reading about nonhuman animals being liberated from the grips of torture. These narratives inspire action, and there are countless cages yet full of nonhuman animals longing to be rescued.

- Dara Lovitz, author, “Muzzling A Movement: The Effects of Anti-Terrorism Law, Money, and Politics on Animal Activism”

“Love and Liberation” is a story of dedication and struggle born from political transformation: Do we allow the everyday cruelty of the world to continue right before our eyes, or do we intervene and reroute the world toward a new ethic of inter-species respect and appreciation? Speaking to issues of justice, humanity, environmentalism, capitalism, greed, corruption, love, and adventure, this provocative read is a must for all ages and political persuasions!

- Jason Del Gandio, author “Rhetoric for Radicals: A
Handbook for 21st Century Activists.”

This is an excellent, and thought-provoking story that – as all beautiful people now – reaffirms how the true revolutionary is guided by love.

- Dr. Richard White, Editor of Journal for Critical Animal Studies

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Author of the ground breaking book, “The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory”, Carol J. Adams will discuss the relationship between meat eating and patriarchal values at Western Kentucky University.

A free vegan food tasting will begin at 6:30p.m.

This event is free and open to students and the community.

For additional information contact Renee Purdy at renee.purdy@wku.edu.

“The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory”

September 21, 2010

(6:30 p.m. vegan food tasting)

7:00 p.m.

Mass Media & Technology Hall Auditorium (MMTH)

1906 College Heights Blvd.

Western Kentucky University, KY, USA

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PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich will kick off a series of “Is Eating Meat Ethical?” debates at Texas A&M University this Fall.

Students and community members are encouraged to attend this debate.

“Is Eating Meat Ethical?”

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Here is a talk of Amie Breeze Harper presenting her new book Sistah Vegan: Black Female Vegans Speak on Food, Identity, Health, and Society at AK Press Release. This talk concerns how her new book discusses racialization and white privilege in veganism and the animal rights movement. Check it out!

at AK Press Release.

Sistah Vegan AK Press Oakland, CA April 15 Part 1 from Sistah Vegan on Vimeo.

Sistah Vegan AK Press Oakland, CA April 15 2010 Part II from Sistah Vegan on Vimeo.

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In January 2010, The Institute for Critical Animal Studies (ICAS) and The Vegan Police Radio, located in St. Catharines, Canada developed a partnership rooted in the tradition of Paulo Freire’s philosophy of dialoguing for liberation and freedom.

“[T]he more radical the person is, the more fully he or she enters into reality so that, knowing it better, he or she can transform it. This individual is not afraid to confront, to listen, to see the world unveiled. This person is not afraid to meet the people or to enter into a dialogue with them. This person does not consider himself or herself the proprietor of history or of all people, or the liberator of the oppressed; but he or she does commit himself or herself, within history, to fight at their side.”
— Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

“Leaders who do not act dialogically, but insist on imposing their decisions, do not organize the people–they manipulate them. They do not liberate, nor are they liberated: they oppress.”
— Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

The Vegan Police, facilitated by Dylan Powell and supported by Ryan Sexton and Crista Murphy directing the tech work, engage in radio dialogues that are organic and politically grounded with particular socio-political values. Their approach is unlike that of a typical interview, which may be useful to disseminate information (such as for an event, campaign or news) but lacks a critical pedagogy for all participants. The Vegan Police are based in critical theory and pedagogy rather than a detached apolitical process for production purposes.

Vegan Police Radio is a socio-political project grounded in radical politics and critical animal studies, i.e., for the liberation and freedom for animals and abolition of animal oppression and domination. They are not concerned with their rates or sponsors, but a mission for total liberation. Therefore, they reach out to a specific community who shares these goals.

In this collaboration, ICAS hopes to aid in the legitimizing of radio dialogues as a theoretical and methodological process.

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The Journal for Critical Animal Studies (JCAS) seeks essays from women of color scholars and activists across a variety of disciplines and social justice initiatives to develop understandings on the issues of race, gender, and animality in critical animal studies.  Since the term “critical animal studies” was introduced by the Institute for Critical Animal Studies, there has been a void of people of color contributions to the new and developing field. Particularly absent have been the thoughts, concerns, and activism of women of color.  For critical animal studies to engage a holistic politics for total liberation, women of color must play a role in the field’s development.  The goals of this issue are (1) to vitalize the intellectual participation of women of color in critical animal studies, (2) to examine overlapping concerns that are central to critical animal studies, feminist theory, and critical race theory, and (3) to promote avenues of thought and ideas for action that can move us beyond pernicious forms of “othering” that undergird nonhuman and human animal suffering. 

Topics may include:

• addressing racism, sexism, and gender oppression in critical animal studies
• the role of white privilege in the animal rights movement
• domestication and the decolonization of mind and body
• semiotics of animality in racial discourse
• traditional ecological knowledge of animal relationships
• being an ally to nonhuman animals: animal activism from a woman of color’s perspective
• interlocking oppressions of animality, race, and gender
• racialization of the other
• invasive species and invasive races
• veganism, raw foods, and food justice
• the social construction of overpopulation and female reproductive control
• women of color ecofeminism and an ethic of care
• racism, sexism, and gender oppression in the animal rights movement
• addressing violence against women of color and nonhuman animals
• imperialism, colonialism, and the oppression of native peoples
• the future of critical animal studies for women of color
• the role of women of color in the total liberation movement

Papers Due: April 12, 2010 at 5pm EST

Visit http://www.criticalanimalstudies.org/?page_id=389 for submission guidelines (but forward all submissions for this issue to the contact below)

Send Papers to:

Anastasia Yarbrough

Institute for Critical Animal Studies

ayarbrou@ymail.com

www.criticalanimalstudies.org

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