Bringing Animal Voices to the Table: Exploring Intuitive Interspecies Communication as a Method for Conservation and Human-Animal Coexistence
| dc.contributor.advisor | Barrett, M.J. | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Robson, James | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Lambert, Simon | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Westman, Clinton | |
| dc.creator | Kuppenbender, Sydney | |
| dc.creator.orcid | 0000-0003-1557-670X | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-02-25T16:38:38Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-02-25T16:38:38Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 2024 | |
| dc.date.created | 2024-12 | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-02-25 | |
| dc.date.submitted | December 2024 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2025-02-25T16:38:39Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Despite growing acknowledgement of animal ‘agency’ and ‘consciousness’, more-than-human animals (hereafter ‘animals’) continue to be excluded from decision-making in relevant issues. The barrier that is frequently identified to truly bring animal voices into research, is their inability to speak human language, and human’s limited capacities to understand theirs. Used by animal communicators (ACs) to engage in two-way communications with animals, the method of intuitive interspecies communication (IIC) is a possible response to this barrier. Using exploratory case studies and reflexive thematic analysis, this work provides detailed, well-documented accounts of cooperative work between ACs, animals, and third-party human stakeholders in issues related to conservation and human-animal coexistence. Three cases were documented in total: one individual and two nested, which included individual mini cases within the larger case. The cases showed IIC being used to achieve greater mutual understanding between humans and animals, as well as animal engagement with prospective interventions that will impact their wellbeing. IIC also eliminated guesswork in project planning; by engaging the animals, they can be asked for input in various conservation and human-animal coexistence issues that arise. Reflexive thematic analysis illustrated the roles of all animal and human stakeholders, the ethical orientation of the humans involved, the approaches and strategies of the ACs, and the outcomes of IIC-facilitated human-animal engagement. Ultimately, study findings suggest that ACs can work as “bridges” to facilitate animal engagement in conservation and human-animal coexistence issues that affect them. | |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10388/16626 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.subject | Intuitive Interspecies Communication | |
| dc.subject | Conservation | |
| dc.subject | Human-Wildlife Coexistence | |
| dc.subject | Animal Communicator | |
| dc.title | Bringing Animal Voices to the Table: Exploring Intuitive Interspecies Communication as a Method for Conservation and Human-Animal Coexistence | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| dc.type.material | text | |
| thesis.degree.department | School of Environment and Sustainability | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Environment and Sustainability | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | University of Saskatchewan | |
| thesis.degree.level | Masters | |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.) |