Month: November 2017

Gove promises that UK law will recognise animal sentience – but …

The following is a post by ShARC co-founder Dr Alasdair Cochrane, Senior Lecturer in Political Theory at the University of Sheffield *** Michael Gove released a statement on Thursday confirming that after Brexit, animals will continue to be recognised as sentient beings: that is, as individuals capable of feeling pain and emotion. The statement emerged after a furore this week over MPs' decision to reject Caroline Lucas's amendment to include this formal recognition of animal sentience in the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. Campaigners argued that the decision of the UK marked a significant step…continue reading →

Event Report: Utopian Protein, or Eating Well in the World to Come – a talk by Dr John Miller, University of Sheffield

The following is a guest post by Mira Lieberman, who is a PhD candidate at the University of Sheffield, funded by the Grantham Centre for Future Sustainability, and a member of ShARC. *** Utopian Protein, or Eating Well in the World to Come – a talk by Dr John Miller, University of Sheffield, reported on faithfully by Mira Lieberman The first description of protein molecules by Gerardus Johannes Mulder in 1838 marks a crucial turning point for societal relationships with animals as a primary source of protein ‘providers’. However, the human relationship with…continue reading →

Film Review: Okja

Last week ShARC held a screening of the Netflix original movie, Okja. Okja is about a 14 year old girl Mija and her relationship with Okja, the ‘super pig’. The film opens in what appears to be a rundown warehouse, where CEO of Mirando Corporation, Lucy Mirando, reveals to the media that her organisation has discovered a new pig-like species in Chile, which they intend to put into production for meat starting 10 years from the present day, 2007. Lucy claims that this new species is superior to all others in existence, as…continue reading →