Kissing Sharks? Sarah Oxley Heaney - PhD Candidate
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KISSING SHARKS?
RESEARCHING UNCONVENTIONAL SHARK-HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH AN ANTHROZOOLOGICAL LENS.
My doctoral project, “Kissing Sharks,” focuses on the unique shark-human relationships co-developed by Cristina Zenato (www.cristinazenato.com) and a shiver of Bahamian Caribbean Reef sharks. The project examines the origins, evolution, and impact of Cristina’s ‘shark-listening’ approach, aiming to contribute to reshaping societal perceptions of sharks. I am motivated to use my academic investigations to add to the humanist de-centering ‘turns’ pioneered by post-anthropocentric, post-humanist scholars. Furthermore, drawing on Participatory Action Research theories, Cristina and I are collaborating on producing academic output in order to contribute to the gap in anthrozoological, post-human perspectives on shark-human relationships.
SHARKS ARE UNDER THREAT, AS INDIVIDUALS AND POPULATIONS
NEGATIVE REPRESENTATIONS OF SHARKS PERSIST.
copyright Cristina Zenato and Kewin Lorenzen
HOW DOES SHARK-LISTENING OFFER NEW PERCEPTIONS?
copyright Cristina Zenato and Kewin Lorenzen
CAN WE SEE SHARKS AS ETHICALLY SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUALS?
Saudi Arabian Feline Lives and Communities
Autoethnographic and Qualitative Studies of Feline Lives in Saudi Arabia
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Domestic cats are ubiquitous in Saudi Arabia (KSA). They live in the streets, in homes, are bred, frequently traded and often abandoned. Many do not thrive in the streets, simply survive and many perish once abandoned. As Saudi Arabia opens its doors to tourism and social media gives a platform to sellers, rescuers and relinquishers alike, the domestic cat landscape in KSA is receiving increased attention from various stakeholders. Labouring in the Saudi Arabian rescue world for seventeen years and founding one of the first legal animal welfare charities in KSA, has given me and my research a unique insight into why cats are relinquished and often abandoned in KSA.
My MA Anthrozoology dissertation research offers strategies to improve the feline landscape for all stakeholders, especially the marginalised feline population. I am seeking to positively impact the lives of cats and humans residing in Saudi Arabia by presenting my findings, in the hope of engaging in further dialogue with stakeholders interested in Saudi Arabian cat welfare. My aim is to ethically improve the lives of street-living cats by focusing upon the lived experience of these cats regardless of their origin.