Cultural Pluralism in the Zoopolis

The Animals in Philosophy, Politics, Law, and Ethics research group (https://animalpolitics.queensu.ca/) at Queen’s University is pleased to announce that we will be hosting an in-person workshop on “Cultural Pluralism in the Zoopolis” in Kingston on May 22-23, 2026. Research increasingly shows that animals share socially learned traditions—such as sperm whales’ distinctive communication systems, honeybees’ dance dialects, regional birdsong among honeyeaters, and herd-specific vocal accents in goats—suggesting that culture is not unique to humans. The workshop brings together scholars in animal ethics, political theory, legal philosophy, and philosophy of animal minds to explore the moral and political implications of recognizing animals as cultural beings, including questions about rights, justice, representation, and the governance of multispecies societies.

Speakers are Kristin Andrews, Eva Meijer, Steve Cooke, Jessica Pierce, Jessica Eisen, David Holroyd, Will Kymlicka, Sue Donaldson, Marriah Alcantara, Serrin Rutledge-Prior, and Virginie Simoneau-Gilbert. Their papers will be pre-circulated to those attending the workshop. Space is limited, but if you are interested in attending the workshop in person, please contact the organizers at animalculturesworkshop@gmail.com for further information.