Sujets :
Dressage - Philosophie et théorie
Dressage - Aspect sociologique
Histoire du dressage
Ménageries
Relations homme-animal
Animaux - Droits
Animaux - Protection - Aspect moral
Animaux sauvages en captivité
Animaux de jardin zoologique

Dépouillement du document :
1- Ferocious lion acts
2- War with animals
3- Imperial hunting show legends
4- Mobs and hooligans, crowds and fans Plates
5- Head in the colonial lion’s mouth
6- War arts about elephantine military empires
7- Nature’s beauties and scientific specimen contests

Résumé :
Throughout the 19th century, animals were integrated into staged scenarios of confrontation, ranging from lion acts in small cages to large-scale re-enactments of war. Initially presenting a handful of exotic animals, travelling menageries grew to contain multiple species in their thousands. These 19th-century menageries entrenched beliefs about the human right to exploit nature through war-like practices against other animal species. Animal shows became a stimulus for antisocial behaviour as locals taunted animals, caused fights, and even turned into violent mobs. Human societal problems were difficult to separate from issues of cruelty to animals.

Apart from reflecting human capacity for fighting and aggression, and the belief in human dominance over nature, these animal performances also echoed cultural fascination with conflict, war and colonial expansion, as the grand spectacles of imperial power reinforced state authority and enhanced public displays of nationhood and nationalistic evocations of colonial empires.

Fighting Nature is an insightful analysis of the historical legacy of 19th-century colonialism, war, animal acquisition and transportation. This legacy of entrenched beliefs about the human right to exploit other animal species is yet to be defeated.

Collection : Bibliothèque de l'École nationale de cirque

Localisation : Bibliothèque

Cote : 791.320 1 T135f 2016

• Ex. 1 — disponible