Constructing animal species as social problems

Abstract

AbstractAnimal species are constructed as social problems in four ways: as pests that threaten people or their social arrangements; as endangered species whose survival is threatened; as invasive species that pose a threat to some new environment; and as deviants that misbehave. The rise of the animal rights movement has made the process of constructing species as social problems more contentious. Debates over these issues involve some combination of three sorts of actors: stakeholders claiming that a species poses a threat; counterclaimsmakers arguing that the species deserves protection; and animal management officials who must mediate these disputes. Identifying such patterns across case studies offers a basis for developing a more elaborate theory of social problems construction.