Human/Animal Relationships in Transformation

The ethics of human/animal relationships is a growing field of academic research and a topic for public discussion and regulatory interventions from law-makers, governments and private institutions. Human/animal relationships are in transformation and understanding the nature of this process is crucial for all those who believe that the enlargement of moral and legal recognition to nonhuman animals is part of contemporary moral and political progress. Understanding the nature of this process means analysing and critically discussing the philosophical, scientific and legal concepts and arguments embedded in it. This book contributes to the discussion by bringing together the ideas and reflections of leading experts from different disciplinary backgrounds and with a range of scientific perspectives.


This book both provides an up-to-date examination of the transformation of human/animal relationships and presents ideas to foster this process.Augusto Vitale is Researcher at the Center for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome. His interests focus on behavioural primatology and issues related to animal experimentation. He is the author of the book Le scimmie si raccontano? Passioni e dubbi dell’etologia (2016).
Simone Pollo is Associate Professor of Moral Philosophy at the Department of Philosophy at Sapienza University of Rome. He is the author of two monographs (in Italian) on animal ethics: Umani e animali. Questioni di etica (2016) and Manifesto per un animalismo democratico (2021).