Animal Subjectivity and Ethics of Care: Human-Nonhuman Relations in Doris Lessing’s On Cats

This study aims to analyse Doris Lessing’s On Cats through the lenses of animal subjectivity and ethics of care theory in the context of animal behaviours and human-nonhuman relations. Ethics of care in animal studies, which emphasises observing and communicating with non-human animals and caring fo...

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Main Author: Barış Ağır
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The English Language and Literature Research Association of Türkiye 2022-04-01
Series:Ideas: Journal of English Literary Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/2401984
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author Barış Ağır
author_facet Barış Ağır
author_sort Barış Ağır
collection DOAJ
description This study aims to analyse Doris Lessing’s On Cats through the lenses of animal subjectivity and ethics of care theory in the context of animal behaviours and human-nonhuman relations. Ethics of care in animal studies, which emphasises observing and communicating with non-human animals and caring for them, provides a theoretical foundation for understanding On Cats. In this respect, this study attempts to interpret the narrative from the perspective of ethics of care in order to dig out Lessing’s views on animals. The study mainly focuses on the subjectivity of nonhuman animals, which is indicated by their sentience and behaviours. According to Lessing, non-human animals have sensations that distinguish themselves from human beings. There is no doubt that they should be considered independent living beings though they seem to be relying on human beings for a living in this humandominated society. Animals have feelings and emotions, and human beings should try to understand them by linking their behaviours with a human’s own experiences.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2757-9549
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publisher The English Language and Literature Research Association of Türkiye
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series Ideas: Journal of English Literary Studies
spelling doaj-art-bcf2ac7003e64ec983e92bc1060b60c82025-01-05T20:26:28ZengThe English Language and Literature Research Association of TürkiyeIdeas: Journal of English Literary Studies2757-95492022-04-01212944Animal Subjectivity and Ethics of Care: Human-Nonhuman Relations in Doris Lessing’s On CatsBarış Ağır0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7132-5844Osmaniye Korkut Ata UniversityThis study aims to analyse Doris Lessing’s On Cats through the lenses of animal subjectivity and ethics of care theory in the context of animal behaviours and human-nonhuman relations. Ethics of care in animal studies, which emphasises observing and communicating with non-human animals and caring for them, provides a theoretical foundation for understanding On Cats. In this respect, this study attempts to interpret the narrative from the perspective of ethics of care in order to dig out Lessing’s views on animals. The study mainly focuses on the subjectivity of nonhuman animals, which is indicated by their sentience and behaviours. According to Lessing, non-human animals have sensations that distinguish themselves from human beings. There is no doubt that they should be considered independent living beings though they seem to be relying on human beings for a living in this humandominated society. Animals have feelings and emotions, and human beings should try to understand them by linking their behaviours with a human’s own experiences. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/2401984doris lessingon catsanimalsubjectivityethics of care
spellingShingle Barış Ağır
Animal Subjectivity and Ethics of Care: Human-Nonhuman Relations in Doris Lessing’s On Cats
Ideas: Journal of English Literary Studies
doris lessing
on cats
animal
subjectivity
ethics of care
title Animal Subjectivity and Ethics of Care: Human-Nonhuman Relations in Doris Lessing’s On Cats
title_full Animal Subjectivity and Ethics of Care: Human-Nonhuman Relations in Doris Lessing’s On Cats
title_fullStr Animal Subjectivity and Ethics of Care: Human-Nonhuman Relations in Doris Lessing’s On Cats
title_full_unstemmed Animal Subjectivity and Ethics of Care: Human-Nonhuman Relations in Doris Lessing’s On Cats
title_short Animal Subjectivity and Ethics of Care: Human-Nonhuman Relations in Doris Lessing’s On Cats
title_sort animal subjectivity and ethics of care human nonhuman relations in doris lessing s on cats
topic doris lessing
on cats
animal
subjectivity
ethics of care
url https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/2401984
work_keys_str_mv AT barısagır animalsubjectivityandethicsofcarehumannonhumanrelationsindorislessingsoncats