Fall 2025 Honors Learning Community: Honors Animals and Society and Women and Creativity

Apr 11

Written By Honors Program

Honors: Animals and Society AND Women and Creativity

Professors Tess Lesniak and Marian Staats

Hybrid: MW 9:30AM-10:45AM, Online Asynch, plus Lab M 11:00AM-1:45PM, Des Plaines Campus

Gen Eds: Life Science (with Lab), Humanities (Fine Arts), U.S. Diversity Studies

Concentrations: Great Books, PSJ, WGSS, ESC (x2)

Description: As we cover the evolution and taxonomy of the animal kingdom, the learning community will explore how we live with other animals, their status and treatment in various domains of culture—as food, pets, entertainment, research subjects, and symbols of ‘wild’ life and wilderness—and how women, as scientists, poets, philosophers, filmmakers, and visual artists, have deepened both our knowledge of other species and the ethical dimensions of our lives with/as animals. Feminist perspectives of our kinship with more-than-human animals will give us the opportunity to better understand how the social construction, status, and oppression of women are inextricably linked with how we treat more-than-human animals, as well as how the creativity and thriving of women is connected to the flourishing of other species.

Email Prof Tess Lesniak and Marian Staats with questions.