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Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title Regarding non human animals
Module Code NUR1061 (ITS: NS386)
Faculty Science & Health School Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Description

This module is about how human animals view and value nonhuman animals as well as how this relates to questions of nonhuman animals: as food; as beings with moral status; as a focus for relations of kinship, care and love; as supporters, guides and therapy; as "spectacle" or subjects of research; and as "infection risks."

Learning Outcomes

1. 1E495111-B3F9-0001-A3AB-89A01030145D
2. Explore the health, social, ethical and ecological implications of killing or using nonhuman animals for food in contemporary societies.
4. 22,20,7,6,23,8,19,21,11,9,10
5. 1
6. 1E495113-1680-0001-15C8-A8C086F012CD
7. Examine arguments to do with the moral status of nonhuman animals.
9. 22,20,7,6,23,8,19,21,11,9,10
10. 2
11. 1E495114-0424-0001-A2F9-4B301D7013C7
12. Consider relations of kinship, care and love as they relate to nonhuman animals.
14. 22,20,7,6,23,8,19,21,9
15. 3
16. 1E495114-4CBF-0001-CBAB-E84012F03970
17. Evaluate the role of nonhuman animals as guides, supporters and therapy for humans.
19. 7,6,8,11,9,10
20. 4
21. 1E495115-3D29-0001-5CDC-45001E201EE4
22. Explore the uses of nonhuman animals as human 'spectacle' and research subjects.
24. 22,20,7,6,23,8,19,21,11,9
25. 5
26. 1E495115-C47B-0001-5A58-1784157014B4
27. Consider the links between patterns of human/nonhuman animal relations and infectious disease.
29. 22,20,7,6,23,8,19,21,11,9
30. 6


WorkloadFull time hours per semester
TypeHoursDescription
Lecture24Relating to each of the module learning outcomes.
Fieldwork30Preparation for, and participation in, assessed group deliberations.
Directed learning30Weekly use of readings and exercises available on Loop.
Independent Study41General reading
Total Workload: 125
Section Breakdown
CRN11265Part of TermSemester 1
Coursework100%Examination Weight0%
Grade Scale40PASSPass Both ElementsN
Resit CategoryRC1Best MarkN
Module Co-ordinatorModule Teacher
Assessment Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Group assignmentWeekly video recorded deliberations in small groups focused on a particular question of how nonhuman animals should be regarded.100%Week 10
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
RC1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module.
RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element.

* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Nonhuman animals as food
How animals are killed and used for food; Slaughterhouses- as "non-places", workers' mental health, workplace relations; Killing and nonhuman animal suffering; Religion and practices of killing; Everyday life for nonhuman animals on farms; Implications of farm living conditions for welfare, health and suffering; Organic farming as an alternative; Land use and nonhuman animal farming; Loss of biodiversity and species extinctions linked to farming of nonhuman animals for food; Climate change and farming; Fishing and effects on ocean ecology; Meat/dairy consumption and human health; Wholefood plant-based diets- health aspects.

Nonhuman animals as beings of moral significance
The ethical significance of nonhuman animal suffering; Preference utilitarian arguments and the case for veganism; Animals as ends in themselves, Kantian arguments; Arguments over animals as persons.

Nonhuman animals as a focus for relations of kinship, care and love
Family and kinship with nonhuman animals; Animals as "reasons to live" and endure suffering; Nonhuman animals as company and as sources of solace; Compassion towards nonhuman animals; Learning to care through relations with nonhuman animals.

Nonhuman animals as guides, supporters and therapy
Animal assisted psychotherapy; Nonhuman animals in nursing homes; Equine therapy; Cardiovascular effects of contact with nonhuman animals; Nonhuman animals as guides and/or supporters for humans with disabilities.

Nonhuman animals as spectacle and/or research subjects
Zoos as spectacle; Animal suffering in zoos; The use of psychiatric medications; Arguments for species preservation through zoos; The impact of "environmental enrichment" in zoos; Ethics of research involving nonhuman animals; Justifications for nonhuman animal research; Questions over the extent of nonhuman animal research.

Nonhuman animals as "infection risks"
Pandemics and nonhuman animals; Killing nonhuman animals to limit the spread of infections; Habitat loss, trade in nonhuman animals and nonhuman animals as food as conditions for infectious diseases in humans.

Indicative Reading List

Books:
  • Akhtar, A.: 2019, Our Symphony With Animals: On health, empathy and our shared destinies, Pegasus Books, New York, London,
  • Barker, S.B., Vokes, R.A. & Barker, R.T.: 2019, Animal-Assisted Interventions in Health Care Settings : A best practices manual for establishing new programs, Purdue University Press, West Lafayette, Indiana,
  • Beauchamp, T.L. & DeGrazia, D.: 2020, Principles of Animal Research Ethics, Oxford University Press, New York,
  • Broderick, L.G: 2016, People With Animals : Perspectives & studies in ethnozooarchaeology, Oxbow Books, Oxford,
  • DeMello, M.: 2021, Animals and Society: An introduction to human-animal Studies, Columbia University Press,
  • Fine, A.H.: 2015, Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy : Foundations and guidelines for animal-assisted interventions, Academic Press, Amsterdam, Netherlands,
  • Francione, G.L.: 2009, Animals as Persons: Essays on the abolition of animal exploitation, Columbia University Press, New York,
  • Gray, J. & Satore, J.: 2017, Zoo Ethics, Cornell University Press,
  • Hosey, G.R. & Melfi, V.: 2019, Anthrozoology : Human-animal interactions in domesticated and wild animals, Oxford University Press, Oxford,
  • Hutton, V.: 2019, A Reason to Live : HIV and animal companions, Purdue University Press, West Lafayette, Indiana,
  • Jenkins, M.A. & Tedeschi, P.: 2019, Transforming Trauma Resilience and Healing Through Our Connections With Animals, Purdue University Press, West Lafayette, Indiana,
  • Kalof, L. & Fitzgerald, A.: 2021, The Animals Reader: The essential classic and contemporary writings, Routledge,
  • Korsgaard, C.: 2020, Fellow Creatures: Our obligations to other animals, Oxford University Press, Oxford,
  • McCardle, P.: 2011, How Animals Affect Us : Examining the influences of human-animal interaction on child development and human health, American Psychological Association, Washington, District of Columbia,
  • Monbiot, G.: 2022, Regenesis: Feeding the world without devouring the planet, Allen Lane,
  • Neel, A. et al: 2019, Messy Eating : Conversations on animals as food, Fordham University Press, New York,
  • Nussbaum, M.: 2006, Frontiers of Justice : Disability, nationality, species membership, The Belknap Press, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mas,
  • Parish-Plass, N.: 2013, Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy : Theory, issues, and practice, Purdue University Press, West Lafayette, Indiana,
  • Peralta, J.M & Fine, A.H.: 2021, The Welfare of Animals in Animal-Assisted Interventions : Foundations and best practice methods, Springer, Cham, Switzerland,
  • Singer, P.: 2015, Animal Liberation, Bodley Head, London,
  • Singer, P.: 2020, Why Vegan?, Penguin,
  • Taylor, S.: 2016, Beasts of Burden : Animal and disability liberation, The New Press, New York, London,
  • Tobias, M. & Morrison, J.: 2017, Anthrozoology : Embracing co-existence in the Anthropocene, Springer, Cham, Switzerland,
  • Vialles, N.: 2008, Animal to Edible, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
  • Waltz, L.: 2018, Hog Wild: The battle for workers' rights at the world's largest slaughterhouse, University of Iowa Press,
  • Winters, E.: 2022, This Is Vegan Propaganda, Vermilion,


Articles:
None
Other Resources

None

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