Dramatic changes in people’s attitudes towards animals and their treatment have occurred in the last 20-30 years. In almost every sphere of human-animal interactions, people are re-examining and re-evaluating their relationships with animals and the natural world. This process has, in turn, stimulated a growing scientific and scholarly interest in the new field of Anthrozoology: the study of the interactions between human and non-human animals.
Shelly Volsche of the Department of Anthropology is excited to host the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) Conference at Boise State University through July 7-9, 2022. The International Society for Anthrozoology was formed in 1991 as a supportive organization for the scientific and scholarly study of human-animal interactions. ISAZ is a non-profit, non-political organization with a worldwide, multi-disciplinary membership of students, scholars and interested professionals.
Conference Theme: “Anthrozoology in Translation: Communicating Research from and to Multiple Audiences.”
Whether disseminating research findings, training practitioners and future scholars, or working within our communities, research must be shared to be useful. This theme invites critical thought on the many ways communication exists in anthrozoology. From mental health practitioners to veterinarians, cognition researchers, conservationists, and welfare and ethics scholars, we encourage a broad discussion of the many ways our lives intersect with, impact, or are impacted by other species.
The abstract and symposium proposal submission portals are now open, and all submissions are due Feb. 18, 2022. This is a great opportunity for students and faculty to share their work with a global scholarly community.
The conference will feature live symposia and talks, a full OnDemand library, and poster presentations to showcase current research. We also have a dynamic, diverse group of keynote speakers.
- Alexandra Horowitz, Columbia University’s Barnard College, New York, NY Senior Research Fellow and head of the Dog Cognition Lab
- Iván Sandoval-Cervantes, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology - Michelle Rodrigues, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
Assistant Professor of Biological Anthropology - Suzanne Asha Stone, International Wildlife Coexistence Network, Garden City, ID
Executive Director and Board President
We remain cautiously optimistic for an in-person format. Sessions will be hosted in the Student Union Building with an optional Saturday evening dinner at JUMP. We have also learned the importance of flexibility, and we are vigilantly monitoring COVID-19 pandemic related news. We wish to assure everyone that, if necessary, we are fully prepared to pivot to a virtual format.
Please contact conference@isaz.net or shellyvolsche@boisestate.edu with questions regarding abstract submissions, volunteer opportunities, and conference sponsorship.