Animals have long occupied an ambivalent place in human societies,
serving as sources of food, labor, and material resources while also
becoming central objects of scientific experimentation and cultural
inspiration. At the same time, they have increasingly become subjects of
ethical consideration, raising questions about agency, suffering, and
dignity. As inhabitants of a shared world, animals have been shaped by
humans and have, in turn, played a crucial role in defining the human
itself. By positing a sharp distinction between mind and matter,
Cartesian dualism grounded the identification of the human in opposition
to the non-human—a process that, as Giorgio Agamben argues with his
concept of the anthropological machine, continues to this day.
Consequently, to speak about animals in the broadest sense is also to
speak about humans.
Scientific research on animals, as well as the origins of zoology, can
in part be traced back to Aristotle. The long nineteenth century, from
the late eighteenth century to the outbreak of the First World War,
witnessed profound transformations in the understanding of animals.
Developments in physiology, medicine, and the natural sciences made
animals indispensable to experimental research and contributed to
advances in zoology. At the same time, literary, philosophical, and
public debates increasingly addressed the moral implications of their
treatment. Animals thus emerged as crucial figures in discussions of
life, consciousness, morality, and the place of human beings within the
natural world.
Within the culturally diverse contexts of Eastern and Eastern-Central
Europe, including the territories of the Romanov (Russian) Empire, the
Habsburg Monarchy, and the Ottoman Empire, these developments
intersected with broader intellectual transformations. Religious
traditions encountered emerging scientific and philosophical
perspectives that redefined the relationship between humans and animals.
Influenced by evolutionary thought and modern science, humans were
increasingly understood not as separate from nature, but as its most
highly developed animals.
Aims of the Lecture Series
This lecture series explores discourses and knowledge about animals and
the human–animal relationship throughout the long nineteenth century in
Eastern- and Eastern-Central Europe. Key questions include: What ideas
and concepts regarding animals and the human–animal relationship were
prevalent in the natural and social sciences, the humanities, and
religion? How were scientific findings adapted and reinterpreted in
literature and culture? What imaginative or counter-concepts of animals
emerged in literary and cultural contexts? Finally, the series examines
how practices of dealing with animals shaped ethical reflections on
their treatment.
We invite contributions that explore how animals and the human-animal
relationship were represented, conceptualized, and contested within the
intellectual, literary, and scientific cultures of the period. By
bringing together perspectives from literary studies, philosophy, the
history of science, and cultural history, the seminar aims to illuminate
the role of animals in shaping modern debates about nature, knowledge,
and humanity in Eastern- and Eastern-Central Europe.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
· Animals in scientific experimentation, particularly in physiology,
medicine, and psychology
· Historical case studies of experimental practices involving animals,
including ethical and epistemological implications
· Literary representations of animals and their role in moral,
philosophical, or social debates
· Animals in public culture: zoos, exhibitions, popular science, and
visual representation
· Early vegetarian movements and other refusals to consume animal
products, including their theoretical foundations and motivations
· Discourses on animal suffering, compassion, and early animal
protection movements
· Religious perspectives on animals in interaction with scientific and
modernist discourses
· Changing conceptions of the human–animal relationship in the context
of evolutionary thought and modern science
The online talk series forms part of a broader initiative to establish a
research network and prepare a series of publications.
Submission Guidelines
· Abstract: 250–300 words
· Short Bio: 100 words
· Deadline for Submission: 15.06.2026
· Notification of Acceptance: July 2026
· Submission Email: humanimalbond@gmail.com
Seminar Details
· Format: Online
· Duration: 1h30
· Presentation Length: 30 minutes, followed by discussion
· Monthly October 2026 – February 2027 every third Friday
Organizers
Dr. Nadine Menzel (Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg,
nadine.menzel@uni-bamberg.de)
Dr. Maxim Demin (Ruhr-Universität Bochum,
Maksim.Demin@ruhr-uni-bochum.
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