Human-animal relations in the capitalocene: environmental impacts and alternatives

In the current era, humans have reshaped relationships with other animals in ways that have significant environmental impacts. While the populations of animals raised for human food continue to increase, populations of wild animals continue to decrease with species increasingly going extinct. These changes in human-animal relations along with their environmental and ecological impacts are unprecedented in human history. This paper examines these impacts as well as the common drivers that perpetuate destructive relations. Drawing from the Frankfurt School, capital’s ethos and domination ideology are examined as interlinked drivers of current human-animal relations. While new policies to address animal agriculture and biodiversity loss are critically needed, a more transformative response relies on addressing these underlying drivers.