Contemplating Animal Histories
Thomas G. Andrews
Radical History Review April 26, 2010 DOI: 10.1215/01636545-2009-039 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Sitting meditation lectio divina |
| Key points | Describes two experiments integrating contemplative practices such as sitting meditation and lectio divina into an undergraduate history seminar on "Animals in America," and argues that a revised iteration of the course deepened students' engagement with the subject and heightened their confrontation with past and present animal suffering; the essay weighs the benefits and disadvantages of contemplative practices in the history classroom. |
Abstract
This essay describes two experiments in integrating contemplative practices such as sitting meditation and lectio divina into an undergraduate seminar titled “Animals in America.” It begins by giving account of the first iteration of the class, then discussing student evaluations. It proceeds to explain how the author subsequently revised the course to deepen students' engagement with the subject matter, as well as to heighten their confrontation with the realities of animal suffering in the past and present. The essay concludes by weighing some of the benefits and disadvantages that contemplative practices pose in the history classroom.