Regarding Animals: Animals Culture And Society - Revised Insightful

In this review of Regarding Animals: Animals Culture And Society, the revised edition is recommended for readers seeking a thoughtful, academic exploration of how humans construct relationships with animals. The book's biggest reason to buy is its expanded contemporary perspective: four new chapters address pressing social issues such as shelter euthanasia, animal abuse among adolescents, and the social role of pets for marginalized people, making this edition a richer resource for students and advocates alike.

Key Features

• Updated content: Four new chapters bring modern case studies and topics into the original framework, broadening the book's relevance to current debates.
• Interdisciplinary perspective: The text situates animals within culture and society, useful for readers interested in sociology, animal studies, and ethics.
• Focus on social consequences: The book examines concrete outcomes such as shelter euthanasia and wildlife conflict, helping readers understand real-world policy implications.
• Applied chapters: New material discusses pets and homelessness and adolescent animal abuse, offering fresh empirical examples for classroom discussion.
• Award-winning foundation: Built on the original's recognition with the Charles Horton Cooley Award, the edition retains a respected theoretical backbone for scholars.

Who It's For

Regarding Animals is best suited to undergraduate and graduate students in sociology, animal studies, and environmental humanities, as well as activists and shelter workers who want a scholarly lens on everyday practices that shape human-animal relations. In a classroom it functions well as a core reading to prompt discussion about identity, policy, and ethics.

Readers seeking a light general-interest read or a field guide to animal care should look elsewhere, since this book emphasizes social theory and cultural analysis rather than practical how-to advice or natural history detail.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Thoughtful expansion: the new chapters update the work with timely, real-world topics that increase its applicability.
• Scholarly but accessible: the writing bridges theory and case studies, making it usable in coursework and policy discussion.
• Broad relevance: covers companion animals, wildlife management, and social identity, offering material for multiple disciplines.

Cons

• The emphasis on cultural and social construction means readers expecting practical animal-care guidance will find limited actionable instruction.

Specifications

Title	Regarding Animals: Animals Culture And Society
Authors	Arnold Arluke, Clinton Sanders, Leslie Irvine
Edition notes	Revised and updated edition with four new chapters
Award recognition	Winner of the Charles Horton Cooley Award (original work)
Main topics	Human-animal relations, shelters, animal abuse, pets and identity
Approach	Sociological and cultural analysis

Our Verdict

This revised edition of Regarding Animals is a compelling choice for students, researchers, and advocates who value rigorous cultural analysis of human-animal interactions. Its new chapters add concrete contemporary concerns that enhance classroom discussion and policy thinking, making it a worthwhile investment for those seeking depth rather than practical pet-care tips.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this edition include new material?
Yes. The revised edition adds four new chapters that address contemporary issues like pets and homelessness and adolescent animal abuse.

Is this book practical for animal care professionals?
It is more valuable for sociological insight and policy context than for hands-on animal-care procedures, so clinicians may prefer additional technical texts alongside it.

Who authored the book?
The work is by Arnold Arluke, Clinton Sanders, and Leslie Irvine, scholars who bring sociological perspectives to human-animal studies.