Animals that are Good to Live With: Theoretical Reflections on Kinship Relations with Pets
The paper explores the phenomenon of keeping pets as family members from an anthropological perspective. It traces the historical and cultural transformation of dogs and cats from utilitarian working animals to emotional companions and kin. Drawing on anthropological literature, the paper highlights...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Belgrade
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Etnoantropološki Problemi |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eap-iea.org/index.php/eap/article/view/1331 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849320422758154240 |
|---|---|
| author | Nevena Milanović Minić |
| author_facet | Nevena Milanović Minić |
| author_sort | Nevena Milanović Minić |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The paper explores the phenomenon of keeping pets as family members from an anthropological perspective. It traces the historical and cultural transformation of dogs and cats from utilitarian working animals to emotional companions and kin. Drawing on anthropological literature, the paper highlights how human–animal relationships are socially constructed and culturally variable. Pets are no longer perceived solely as property or function-bearing beings, but as sentient subjects involved in household dynamics. Through concepts such as anthropomorphism, sentimental projection, and emotional reciprocity, the paper analyzes how animals are integrated into kinship systems. The notion of "companion species" (Haraway) is used to argue for an ethics of mutuality, responsibility, and care. This paper critically engages with Baudrillard’s idea of “sentimental racism,” suggesting that empathy toward animals is not always a form of domination or projection. Instead, relationships with pets often reveal deep emotional and social bonds that reshape our understanding of family and domestic life. Ethnographic and theoretical insights show that pets are active participants in social life, not passive symbols. By analyzing pets as kin, the study contributes to multispecies anthropology and challenges anthropocentric notions of belonging. Ultimately, it calls for a reconsideration of the moral and political status of animals in human communities.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-95cbf01a7a344ed4bf8e6a53f0c729dd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0353-1589 2334-8801 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | University of Belgrade |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Etnoantropološki Problemi |
| spelling | doaj-art-95cbf01a7a344ed4bf8e6a53f0c729dd2025-08-20T03:50:06ZengUniversity of BelgradeEtnoantropološki Problemi0353-15892334-88012025-07-0120210.21301/eap.v20i2.5Animals that are Good to Live With: Theoretical Reflections on Kinship Relations with PetsNevena Milanović Minić0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1620-4943The Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade The paper explores the phenomenon of keeping pets as family members from an anthropological perspective. It traces the historical and cultural transformation of dogs and cats from utilitarian working animals to emotional companions and kin. Drawing on anthropological literature, the paper highlights how human–animal relationships are socially constructed and culturally variable. Pets are no longer perceived solely as property or function-bearing beings, but as sentient subjects involved in household dynamics. Through concepts such as anthropomorphism, sentimental projection, and emotional reciprocity, the paper analyzes how animals are integrated into kinship systems. The notion of "companion species" (Haraway) is used to argue for an ethics of mutuality, responsibility, and care. This paper critically engages with Baudrillard’s idea of “sentimental racism,” suggesting that empathy toward animals is not always a form of domination or projection. Instead, relationships with pets often reveal deep emotional and social bonds that reshape our understanding of family and domestic life. Ethnographic and theoretical insights show that pets are active participants in social life, not passive symbols. By analyzing pets as kin, the study contributes to multispecies anthropology and challenges anthropocentric notions of belonging. Ultimately, it calls for a reconsideration of the moral and political status of animals in human communities. https://eap-iea.org/index.php/eap/article/view/1331anthropology of human–animal relationspost-human familykinship relationspetscompanion animals |
| spellingShingle | Nevena Milanović Minić Animals that are Good to Live With: Theoretical Reflections on Kinship Relations with Pets Etnoantropološki Problemi anthropology of human–animal relations post-human family kinship relations pets companion animals |
| title | Animals that are Good to Live With: Theoretical Reflections on Kinship Relations with Pets |
| title_full | Animals that are Good to Live With: Theoretical Reflections on Kinship Relations with Pets |
| title_fullStr | Animals that are Good to Live With: Theoretical Reflections on Kinship Relations with Pets |
| title_full_unstemmed | Animals that are Good to Live With: Theoretical Reflections on Kinship Relations with Pets |
| title_short | Animals that are Good to Live With: Theoretical Reflections on Kinship Relations with Pets |
| title_sort | animals that are good to live with theoretical reflections on kinship relations with pets |
| topic | anthropology of human–animal relations post-human family kinship relations pets companion animals |
| url | https://eap-iea.org/index.php/eap/article/view/1331 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nevenamilanovicminic animalsthataregoodtolivewiththeoreticalreflectionsonkinshiprelationswithpets |