Beings and Beasts
Human-Animal Relations at the Margins

Beings and Beasts discusses the relations between humans and animals of marginalized societies.

Ambika Aiyadurai (Edited by), Prashant Ingole (Edited by)

9781009529938, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 17 July 2025

235 pages
23.5 x 16.1 x 2.1 cm, 0.5 kg

'A fabulous collection that covers literary, sociological and cultural frontiers in the emerging scholarship on caste and ecology. It will serve as a reference for new research in the fields of caste, South Asia, animal studies and media studies.' Suraj Milind Yengde, Harvard University

While, a lot has been written about the need to 'decolonize' animal studies and wildlife conservation, there is no discussion or attempt to 'de-brahminize' animal studies and conservation science in India. Similarly, some animals and birds are positioned as superior in the Brahmanical social order, others seem to be subordinated and are associated with certain 'inferior' caste groups. Beings and Beasts discusses the relations between humans and animals of marginalized societies, especially of Dalits and Tribals. It analyses the various ways of perceiving the 'conjoint' living and examines it from multiple perspectives and disciplinary lenses.

Introduction: Human-Animal Relations at the 'Margins'
Ambika Aiyadurai and Prashant Ingole
Part I. Animals in Dalit Cinema: 1. The Pig, the National Anthem and Anti-Caste Belonging in Fandry Purnachandra Naik
2. Speaking of Pain: Portrayal of Human-Animal Relationships in Tamil Cinema R. Samuel Gnanaraj
3. Cast(e)ing Animals in Cinema: Exploring Human-Animal Relationships through Fandry and Pariyerum Perumal Akshay Sawant
Part II. Dalit Imageries and Textual Narratives: 4. The Changing Iconography of the Owl in Dalit Narratives: A Study of Cho. Dharman's Koogai Shibangi Dash
5. 'Dhed and Bhedh': Caste and Animals in Ratan Kumar Sambharia's Short Stories Deepak Sarohia
6. Holy Cow, Unholy Meat: Food Ecologies, Affective Communities and Violence in 'The Revenge of the Non Vegetarian' Greeshma Mohan
Part III. Human-Animals Relations In the Northeast: 7. Without a Pig, a Bodo Life is Incomplete Rachan Daimary
8. Yaks and the Brokpa of Arunachal Pradesh: An Immemorial Nomadic Association
Khriengunuo Mepfhuo and Mihir Sarkar
9. The 'Divine Animal' of Arunachal Pradesh: Changing Human-Mithun Relationships Abhishruti Sarma
Part IV. Animals as Companions: 10. Pastoral Practices and Human-Animal Relation: A Study of Dhangars in Maharashtra Ashwini Labde
11. Frames in the Discourse Around Bull-Taming Sport: Why PETA's Animal Welfarism was Misguided Saravanan Velusamy
12. Dalit Ecologies and Animal Rights: Caste, Body, Metaphor Susan Haris
13. Animals in Poems: Dalits and their Relations with Nonhumans Gautam Vegda.

Subject Areas: Constitution: government & the state [JPHC]