Shifting human-animal relations in the Netherlands: Insights from figurational sociology

The purpose of this study is to generate insight in the changing human-animal relation within Wester-European society, by making use of figuration sociology (Elias 2002, Linklater 2011, Pratt 2011, Savoia Landini 2013). Based on three cases, different aspects of the civilising process are analysed, while making use of the symptoms as identified by Pratt (2011). Pratt (2011) describes symptoms of civilising and decivilising processes, to be able to describe the different levels at which the civilising processes takes place within society. Decivilising processes are those that are opposite of civilising process, visible in processes that shorten chains of interdependence, display more violence in the public sphere, display freer expression of aggressiveness and a change in the modes of knowledge towards more fantasy laden content (Pratt 2011). The three cases in this proposal will each research into these symptoms of both civilising and decivilising processes, each from another angle and on a different level. Together, I hope to deliver insight in the current state of human-animal relations in the Netherlands, to share possible implications for policy makers and to contribute to the theory by using the cases to build on knowledge of the direction of the civilising process.