Semiotic dimensions of human attitudes towards other animals: A case of zoological gardens
This paper analyses the cultural and biosemiotic bases of human attitudes towards other species. A critical stance is taken towards species neutrality and it is shown that human attitudes towards different animal species differ depending on the psychological dispositions of the people, biosemiotic c...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Tartu Press
2016-07-01
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| Series: | Sign Systems Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/sss/article/view/15917 |
| _version_ | 1818967273985015808 |
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| author | Nelly Mäekivi Timo Maran |
| author_facet | Nelly Mäekivi Timo Maran |
| author_sort | Nelly Mäekivi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper analyses the cultural and biosemiotic bases of human attitudes towards other species. A critical stance is taken towards species neutrality and it is shown that human attitudes towards different animal species differ depending on the psychological dispositions of the people, biosemiotic conditions (e.g. umwelt stuctures), cultural connotations and symbolic meanings. In real-life environments, such as zoological gardens, both biosemiotic and cultural aspects influence which animals are chosen for display, as well as the various ways in which they are displayed and interpreted. These semiotic dispositions are further used as motifs in staging, personifying or de-personifying animals in order to modify visitors’ perceptions and attitudes. As a case study, the contrasting interpretations of culling a giraffe at the Copenhagen zoo are discussed. The communicative encounters and shifting per ceptions are mapped on the scales of welfaristic, conservational, dominionistic, and utilitarian approaches. The methodological approach described in this article integrates static and dynamical views by proposing to analyse the semiotic potential of animals and the dynamics of communicative interactions in combination. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T13:46:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6071f22d7e0344f0b4f07dc54fb1b62e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1406-4243 1736-7409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T13:46:11Z |
| publishDate | 2016-07-01 |
| publisher | University of Tartu Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sign Systems Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-6071f22d7e0344f0b4f07dc54fb1b62e2022-12-21T19:38:39ZengUniversity of Tartu PressSign Systems Studies1406-42431736-74092016-07-01441/210.12697/SSS.2016.44.1-2.12Semiotic dimensions of human attitudes towards other animals: A case of zoological gardensNelly Mäekivi0Timo Maran1Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu, Jakobi 2, Tartu, 51014Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu, Jakobi 2, Tartu, 51014This paper analyses the cultural and biosemiotic bases of human attitudes towards other species. A critical stance is taken towards species neutrality and it is shown that human attitudes towards different animal species differ depending on the psychological dispositions of the people, biosemiotic conditions (e.g. umwelt stuctures), cultural connotations and symbolic meanings. In real-life environments, such as zoological gardens, both biosemiotic and cultural aspects influence which animals are chosen for display, as well as the various ways in which they are displayed and interpreted. These semiotic dispositions are further used as motifs in staging, personifying or de-personifying animals in order to modify visitors’ perceptions and attitudes. As a case study, the contrasting interpretations of culling a giraffe at the Copenhagen zoo are discussed. The communicative encounters and shifting per ceptions are mapped on the scales of welfaristic, conservational, dominionistic, and utilitarian approaches. The methodological approach described in this article integrates static and dynamical views by proposing to analyse the semiotic potential of animals and the dynamics of communicative interactions in combination.https://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/sss/article/view/15917zoosemioticszoological gardensanimal evaluationcharismatic speciespersonification |
| spellingShingle | Nelly Mäekivi Timo Maran Semiotic dimensions of human attitudes towards other animals: A case of zoological gardens Sign Systems Studies zoosemiotics zoological gardens animal evaluation charismatic species personification |
| title | Semiotic dimensions of human attitudes towards other animals: A case of zoological gardens |
| title_full | Semiotic dimensions of human attitudes towards other animals: A case of zoological gardens |
| title_fullStr | Semiotic dimensions of human attitudes towards other animals: A case of zoological gardens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Semiotic dimensions of human attitudes towards other animals: A case of zoological gardens |
| title_short | Semiotic dimensions of human attitudes towards other animals: A case of zoological gardens |
| title_sort | semiotic dimensions of human attitudes towards other animals a case of zoological gardens |
| topic | zoosemiotics zoological gardens animal evaluation charismatic species personification |
| url | https://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/sss/article/view/15917 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nellymaekivi semioticdimensionsofhumanattitudestowardsotheranimalsacaseofzoologicalgardens AT timomaran semioticdimensionsofhumanattitudestowardsotheranimalsacaseofzoologicalgardens |