Alienation, Modernization, and Animal Welfare: Human-Animal Relationships at the Farm, State, and Country Levels
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Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 8-2021 Alienation, Modernization, and Animal Welfare: Human-Animal Relationships at the Farm, State, and Country Levels Michael D. Briscoe Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the Animal Studies Commons, and the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Briscoe, Michael D., "Alienation, Modernization, and Animal Welfare: Human-Animal Relationships at the Farm, State, and Country Levels" (2021). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 8183. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/8183 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ALIENATION, MODERNIZATION, AND ANIMAL WELFARE: HUMAN-ANIMAL RELATIONSHIPS AT THE FARM, STATE, AND COUNTRY LEVELS by Michael D. Briscoe A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Sociology Approved: ______________________ ____________________ Jennifer E. Givens, Ph.D. E. Helen Berry, Ph.D. Major Professor Committee Member ______________________ ____________________ Courtney G. Flint, Ph.D. Erin T. Hofmann, Ph.D. Committee Member Committee Member ______________________ ____________________ D. Layne Coppock, Ph.D. D. Richard Cutler, Ph.D. Committee Member Interim Vice Provost for Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2021 ii Copyright © Michael D. Briscoe 2021 All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Alienation, Modernization, and Animal Welfare: Human-Animal Relationships at the Farm, State, and Country Levels by Michael Briscoe, Master of Arts Utah State University, 2021 Major Professor: Jennifer E. Givens, Ph.D. Department: Sociology Human-animal relationships are changing because of modernization, which includes economic growth, technological innovation, and globalization. The changes in these relationships affect both humans and animals and pose a challenge for sustainability. This study analyzes the social factors that influence human-animal relationships at three different scales: farm, U.S. state, and country. I present my research in three empirical chapters. In the first empirical analysis I conducted a survey and semi-structured interviews with dairy farmers in Washington state to understand how farm size and modern technologies and practices influence their relationships with their work and with their cows, and how these relationships influence their overall life satisfaction. The results of my analysis showed that increased farm size is associated with increased alienation from cows but increased use of technologies and practices is associated with decreased alienation from cows. Both relationships with work and cows are statistically significant predictors of overall life satisfaction. iv In the second empirical paper I analyzed the relationship between economic growth and animal welfare protection in the United States. I conducted two types of analysis: fixed effects panel regression analysis for the years 2012 to 2017 and cross- sectional OLS regression analysis for the year 2017. I used administrative data from several governmental sources as well as the Humane Society of the United States’ “Humane State Ranking”. Overall, the results of these analyses showed that increased GDP per capita is associated with higher overall animal welfare protection, wildlife protection, and research animal protection. Finally, in the third empirical chapter I tested for the existence of a farm animal welfare Kuznets curve (AWKC) as well as for an ecologically unequal exchange (EUE) of farm animal cruelty at the global level. The results showed some support for the AWKC hypothesis when it comes to overall farm animal cruelty, and a negative linear relationship between GDP per capita and sanctioning farm animal cruelty. There is evidence of a positive linear relationship between GDP per capita and consumption of farm animal cruelty – the number of animals consumed and the proportion of protein in diets from animal sources. I found that increased trade with high income countries was associated with decreased overall farm animal cruelty and production of farm animal cruelty. (253 pages) v PUBLIC ABSTRACT Alienation, Modernization, and Animal Welfare: Human-Animal Relationships at the Farm, State, and Country Levels Michael D. Briscoe Our relationships with animals are important for us as humans, for the environment, and for the animals themselves. In this dissertation I look at the relationships between humans and animals at three scales: farm, U.S. state, and country. Specifically, I address how factors like economic growth, technological innovation, and globalization affect human relationships with animals. Understanding how these factors influence human-animal relationships is important for improving these relationships and deciding which directions will most contribute to sustainable outcomes. I address the social factors that influence human-animal relationships in three studies. In the first study I surveyed and interviewed dairy farmers in Washington. I asked them how farm size and the technologies and practices they used on their farm influenced their relationship with their work and with their cows. I then analyzed how these relationships influenced their overall life satisfaction. Farmers reported that farm size made it difficult to stay connected with their cows but that new technologies helped farmers connect in new ways with their cows while avoiding conventional negative interactions. Both relationships with work and cows were related to life satisfaction, which is important for farmers, who as a population face high levels of stress. vi In the second study I used data from government sources and the Humane Society of the United States to assess how economic growth influenced farm animal protection in the United States. The results of my analyses suggest that economic growth may have a positive effect on farm animal protection. This is encouraging news for policymakers hoping for win-win scenarios to improve animal welfare – though more research on direct animal welfare is needed. Lastly, in the third study I used data from Voiceless: The Animal Protection Institute and the World Bank to see how economic growth influenced farm animal cruelty on a global scale. The results suggest that economic growth reduces some types of farm animal cruelty but increases others. Trade with high-income countries may have a spillover effect with lower-income countries that reduces farm animal cruelty in those countries. vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Chapter 2 of this dissertation was funded by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF EAR #1639458), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA #2017- 67004-26131) and Utah State University’s Graduate Research and Creative Opportunities Grant. Thank you to my committee members for their guidance and feedback: Eddy Berry, Erin Hofmann, Courtney Flint, and Layne Coppock. Thanks to those not on my committee who were still willing to help me with this and other research: Richard Krannich, Shawn Olson Hazboun, Georgine Yorgey, Guadalupe Marquez-Velarde, Jessica Ulrich-Schad, Donald Sisson, and Lacey Papageorge. Thanks to my family and especially Dennis and Annette for their support. Thanks to Max, Kristen, Matt, Kailie, and Brett – I appreciate all our interactions. And most of all thanks to my advisor and chair Jennifer Givens for patiently listening to me and reading many early drafts and always giving thoughtful and supportive feedback. viii CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. iii PUBLIC ABSTRACT .................................................................................................. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..........................................................................................vii LIST OF TABLES .....................................................................................................xii LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................. xiv CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................1 SUSTAINABILITY AND HUMAN-ANIMAL RELATIONSHIPS ............................. 3 ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE, SPECIES, AND SCALE .................................................. 5 RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................................. 8 Chapter 2 ..................................................................................................................8 Chapter 3 ................................................................................................................ 10 Chapter 4 ................................................................................................................ 12 Chapter 5 ................................................................................................................ 13 SUMMARY............................................................................................................... 14 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 2 – DAIRY FARMER ALIENATION