Intersectional Social Justice – Effective Social Change – Social Movement Behavior
With growing interest in animal welfare, diet-related illness, food justice, food-borne diseases, and the impact of animal agriculture on the environment, animal-based food systems are increasingly relevant to sociological study. My research explores the complex relationships between human, nonhuman, and environmental well-being, the intersections of human and nonhuman oppression, and the social justice efforts seeking to alleviate these pressing social problems in the U.S., U.K., and Ireland.
My primary specialization is in social movement theory with a focus on the political structure of the Nonhuman Animal rights movement. Many of my peer-reviewed publications investigate mechanisms of claims-making, framing, and factionalism. I am also interested in the influence of professionalization, non-profitization, and other forces of capitalism on social movement efficacy. This research is primarily conducted through historical comparative analysis and content analysis.
How social movements prioritize single-issue campaigning by ignoring or aggravating the relevance of other social justice issues is another focus of my research. I often use the Nonhuman Animal rights movement as a case study in the replication of sexism, racism, classism, and other forms of human violence enacted “for the animals.” Recognizing the importance of intersectional politics and alliance-building, this work seeks to improve social movement efforts by building critical theories of social justice through content analysis, interviewing, and public sociology.