A Sociological Examination of the Contemporary Animal Advocacy Movement: Organisations, Rationality and Veganism

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A Sociological Examination of the Contemporary Animal Advocacy Movement: Organisations, Rationality and Veganism Department of Social Sciences and Asian Languages A Sociological Examination of the Contemporary Animal Advocacy Movement: Organisations, Rationality and Veganism Nick Pendergrast This thesis is presented for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Curtin University April 2014 i Statement of Authorship Declaration To the best of my knowledge and belief this thesis contains no material previously published by any other person except where due acknowledgment has been made.i This thesis contains no material that has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university. Signature: …………………………………………. Date: ………………………... ii Table of Contents List of Figures .............................................................................................. vi List of Tables ...............................................................................................vii List of Appendices ...................................................................................... viii List of Abbreviations ....................................................................................ix Abstract ....................................................................................................... x Acknowledgements .....................................................................................xi Introduction ................................................................................................ 1 Animal Advocacy as a Social Movement ........................................................................................... 2 Purpose, Central Research Question and Objectives ........................................................................ 5 Significance ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Situating the Thesis in the Field ........................................................................................................ 7 Research Design and Methodology ................................................................................................ 10 Ethical Issues ................................................................................................................................... 14 Animal Rights, Animal Welfare and Animal Liberation ................................................................... 15 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter One: A Theoretical Overview of Ideological Rationality, Emotive Rationality and the Animal Advocacy Movement ........................................ 22 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 22 Rationality in the Animal Advocacy Movement .............................................................................. 23 Ideological Rationality ..................................................................................................................... 23 Veganism ........................................................................................................................................ 34 Integrationist and Anti-Systemic Social Change in the AAM ........................................................... 42 Emotive Rationality ......................................................................................................................... 46 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 52 Chapter Two: The “Dark” Side of Social Movement Organisations: Organisational Rationality .......................................................................... 53 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 53 The Resource Mobilisation Perspective .......................................................................................... 54 iii Instrumental Rationality and Bureaucracy ...................................................................................... 62 Accountability and Mission Drift in Not For Profit Organisations ................................................... 64 New Privatisation ............................................................................................................................ 67 Organisational Rationality and Integrationist Social Change .......................................................... 71 Resisting Bureaucracy ..................................................................................................................... 72 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 76 Chapter Three: Organisational Considerations and Integrationist Social Change in the Animal Advocacy Movement ................................................ 78 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 78 Victories .......................................................................................................................................... 79 Integrationist Campaigning and Funding ........................................................................................ 81 The Animal Liberation Front ........................................................................................................... 87 Bureaucratisation and Animal Welfare ........................................................................................... 88 Celebrity Culture ............................................................................................................................. 95 Patriarchy and Dominant Gender Roles .......................................................................................... 98 Nationalism and Militarism ........................................................................................................... 106 Consumerism ................................................................................................................................ 109 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 111 Chapter Four: Campaigns of Larger Animal Advocacy Organisations ...........113 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 113 Organisational Considerations, Little Effort and Integrationist Social Change .............................. 114 Rationality and Campaigns from Large Organisations .................................................................. 128 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 131 Chapter Five: Live Animal Export, Humane Slaughter and Media Hegemony .................................................................................................................133 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 133 Media Framing and the Hegemony of Animal Welfare ................................................................. 135 Media Framing of the Live Animal Export Crisis ............................................................................ 139 The Animal Rights Frame .............................................................................................................. 147 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 149 Chapter Six: Veganism Enters the Mainstream...........................................151 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 151 Vegans in the United States and Australia .................................................................................... 153 iv Veganism and Animal Rights Online and into the Mainstream ..................................................... 154 Environmental Concerns and Veganism ....................................................................................... 163 Celebrities, Health and Veganism ................................................................................................. 166 Growing Interest in Veganism ....................................................................................................... 171 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 174 Chapter Seven: The Rise of Veganism in the Animal Advocacy Movement..175 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 175 A Change of Approach for Existing Organisations: Animal Liberation Victoria ............................. 176 New Organisations Promoting Veganism: Uproar ........................................................................ 180 Larger Organisations Promoting Animal-Free Alternatives and Veganism ..................................
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