Our “Zoological Connections” and Why They Matter

Abstract

Traditionally overlooked or invisible in sociological analyses, animals have roles in numerous issues of sociological importance. Including them in our research offers a clearer understanding of the social world. Using examples from two topics—the self and the family—this essay shows the value of keeping our “zoological connections” in mind. Research on selfhood among animals challenges dominant views that the self is uniquely human and shaped by social forces, while biology and instinct drive animal behavior. Research on the family illustrates how pets participate in “doing” family and what their participation means for this institution long considered quintessentially human. Sociologists confront continually evolving and hybrid forms of interaction: human and nonhuman, social and natural, online and offline, and more. Understanding these relations will require rethinking major sociological assumptions. The inclusion of animals provides a starting point for expanding and clarifying existing theories to comprehend both novel and familiar social worlds.