Hidden life of farmed animals : the role of higher education as a change maker
Konst, Taru (2020)
IATED, International Association of Technology, Education and Development
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2020111189980
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2020111189980
Tiivistelmä
There is a lot of evidence that the living conditions or consciousness of farmed animals do not belong
to common knowledge. Several studies demonstrate unawareness of these issues even among highly
educated adult population, which is understandable because these topics are usually not discussed in
schools at any level. The treatment of farmed animals is not only an ethical question, because it has
impact also on climate change, environment, food and water supply, health and well-being, and
equality.
There is no time to start changing the education from day-care and primary schools, but education has
to be able to wake up the young people in secondary and higher education as soon as possible.
According to the latest IPCC report 2018, we have only 12 years to make changes to restrain the
climate change remarkably. Farmed animals play a crucial role in the climate change and
environmental questions, and therefore it essential to include the topic also in educational discussion
and education development. Additionally, intensive animal production is extremely topical because of
increased circulation of animal-based viruses.
This paper aims to discuss the role of higher education as a change maker in awareness of
consciousness and treatment of farmed animals. It is not only the responsibility of legislation or
political decision-making but of higher education too to make the agriculture and food system more
sustainable and ethically acceptable by providing respective knowledge, skills and attitudes. Higher
education and curricula there have a huge potential both conceptually and politically by forwarding
values, attitudes and ways of thinking, but still, these topics are usually neglected or ignored. This
paper describes how this topic is neglected in higher education and provides ideas how to bring it to
curricula and educational practices and processes. The methods used focus on literature review,
participatory observation, analyses of curricula, and a student survey.
The finding is that farmed animals are not discussed in any ethical context in higher education, but
they should be, and that higher education needs to develop students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes
to take into account the nature and other living beings including farmed animals. The conclusion is
that by paying attention to other living beings in educational values and by renewing structures,
processes and curriculum work in education, we can get new relevant tools to build a more
sustainable society and future for all species including farmed animals.
to common knowledge. Several studies demonstrate unawareness of these issues even among highly
educated adult population, which is understandable because these topics are usually not discussed in
schools at any level. The treatment of farmed animals is not only an ethical question, because it has
impact also on climate change, environment, food and water supply, health and well-being, and
equality.
There is no time to start changing the education from day-care and primary schools, but education has
to be able to wake up the young people in secondary and higher education as soon as possible.
According to the latest IPCC report 2018, we have only 12 years to make changes to restrain the
climate change remarkably. Farmed animals play a crucial role in the climate change and
environmental questions, and therefore it essential to include the topic also in educational discussion
and education development. Additionally, intensive animal production is extremely topical because of
increased circulation of animal-based viruses.
This paper aims to discuss the role of higher education as a change maker in awareness of
consciousness and treatment of farmed animals. It is not only the responsibility of legislation or
political decision-making but of higher education too to make the agriculture and food system more
sustainable and ethically acceptable by providing respective knowledge, skills and attitudes. Higher
education and curricula there have a huge potential both conceptually and politically by forwarding
values, attitudes and ways of thinking, but still, these topics are usually neglected or ignored. This
paper describes how this topic is neglected in higher education and provides ideas how to bring it to
curricula and educational practices and processes. The methods used focus on literature review,
participatory observation, analyses of curricula, and a student survey.
The finding is that farmed animals are not discussed in any ethical context in higher education, but
they should be, and that higher education needs to develop students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes
to take into account the nature and other living beings including farmed animals. The conclusion is
that by paying attention to other living beings in educational values and by renewing structures,
processes and curriculum work in education, we can get new relevant tools to build a more
sustainable society and future for all species including farmed animals.