Podcasts
Episode 29: Grief Pt 1
Trigger warning
This podcast is about grief and will involve discussions of death and dying. Timeline 13:47-14:04 - a discussion of suicide and suicide watch. Here is a link to the Blue Cross for anyone who may need support following the loss of a companion animal: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-bereavement-and-pet-loss
In episode 29 we delve into the topic of grief. We are joined in this episode by Irene, a fellow researcher from the University of Exeter, who is just starting her PhD research on morethanhuman-animal grief. We frame the discussion by highlighting the various dimensions of grief, extending beyond the human realm to explore how animals, particularly social species like elephants, also experience and express grief. The conversation unfolds with the exploration of different definitions and perspectives on grief, emphasizing the contextual nature of grief definitions, grief as a disruptive emotion challenging societal norms and touch on the diverse causes of grief, including loss of habitat, forced relinquishment, and the death of individuals. The discussion broadens to encompass disenfranchised grief, where society invalidates or minimizes the grief experienced by individuals, especially in the context of animal companionship. We touch on the criminalization of grief in certain situations, such as in incarceration institutions. Our podcast references Judith Butler's concept of grievable lives, where irreplaceability, transformative effect, and embodied experience define lives worthy of grief. We acknowledge the subjectivity of what society deems grievable and highlight the coping mechanisms, including compassion fatigue and emotional calluses, that individuals develop in response to constant exposure to grief.
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PodCrew
Dr. Kris Hill PhD Candidate, University of Exeter
https://katzenlife.wordpress.com/
Dr. Michelle Szydlowski
www.internationalelephants.org
@intl_elephants
Sarah Oxley Heaney PhD Candidate, University of Exeter
Podlet Guest:
Irene Perrett PhD Student, University of Exeter, ip323@exeter.ac.uk
References found here: https://theanthrozoologypodcast.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/ep2930-refs.pdf?fbclid=IwAR25u8RcU9HFJsl4548bonnAg_F-GHBkgLs7sfPaLVzGJ_FMrHJ-NQ3_2aY