Over the past four decades, there has been a growing interest in the ethics of how we treat animals. Philosophers have paved the way initially, with further examination by historians and sociologists, and additionally fueled by scientists who have revealed the complexity of animal sentience, cognition and awareness. Currently there are many university courses in animal-related studies, such as Critical Animal Studies, Animal Law, Animals and Philosophy, Politics and Animals, and Human-Animal Studies. There are emerging political parties in the US and Europe that aim to put animal issues on the political agenda. Far from being a marginal issue any longer, there is a growing view that our current treatment of animals as property and commodities cannot be sustained ethically, and a re-visitation of our philosophical, historical, political, and economic relationship to animals is needed.
In response to this growing field of inquiry, the University of Illinois Press, in partnership with the Ferrater Mora Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, is offering a new regular publication called Journal of Animal Ethics. It will be the first academic journal of its kind in the world, devoted to the exploration of progressive thought about animals and how humans relate to them. It aims to cover both the theoretical and applied aspects of animal ethics, which will be of interest not only to academics within sciences and humanities, but also to those working within the field of animal protection. It will cover issues that are international in scope and across many disciplines to stimulate discussion across every institution.
The journal is currently seeking articles for publication. They are looking for full-length scholarly pieces of 3-5000 words, although longer submissions will be considered as well; “argument” pieces of 1-2000 words, in which an author submits a particular point of view, replies to a previously published article or review, or offers commentary in response to a topical issue; review articles of 1-3000 words based on a published work worthy of consideration; and book reviews up to 1000 words. Further information can be found in their Submission Guidelines. JAE will be published biannually with a Summer and Winter issue.
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