Finnish Society for Human-Animal Studies
Y K E S
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANIMAL STUDIES INVESTIGATES HUMAN-ANIMAL RELATIONSHIPS IN A MULTIDISCIPLINARY WAY
Animal-related research has gained a strong foothold in social and cultural science research in Finland. In this field of research, the relationships between animals and humans are studied in a variety of ways.
The Society for Social and Cultural Animal Research (YKES) acts as a national cooperation body for researchers, students and others interested in the field as well as promoting social and cultural animal research.
We organize the Animal Research Days conference annually and publish Trace (Jälki) which is a scientific journal for animal research.
WHAT IS SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANIMAL RESEARCh?
Climate change and habitat loss have made the relationship between humans and nature and other animals an increasingly topical research subject. Social and cultural animal research raises questions about the relationships between humans and other animals, the position of animals in society, and their agency.
Finnish social and cultural animal research is internationally respected. The multidisciplinary field of research considers, among other things, how clearly humans essentially differ from other living beings.
How can we study the agency of animals?
What role do animals play in society and culture?
How do animal relationships appear when examined through legislation and political decision-making?
how do we mourn an animal of another species?
How do multi-species relationships come across in contemporary depictions?
These are some of the questions to which researchers in social and cultural animal studies are seeking answers.
Y K E S I N A C T I O N
annual conference
The annual ‘Animal Research Days’ conference brings together researchers, artists and students working in social and cultural animal research to present their work and discuss diverse aspects of the relationships between humans and animals.
ELONKIRJON BUSSI
The Elonkirjo bus (Life Diversity Bus) tour introduces primary school children to animal issues. The climate and environmental crisis and the sixth wave of extinction are visible and experienced as part of the everyday lives of children and young people. The bus tour encourages children to consider how different species interact from a social and cultural perspective.
Trace journal
Trace is a peer-reviewed, fully open access online journal that provides a forum for the discussion of human-animal relations from social and cultural perspectives. The scientific journal publishes original research articles, lectiones praecursoriae, and conference reports, as well as reviews on books, art exhibitions, films, and other media. Trace accepts submissions in Finnish, English, and Swedish.
master’s thesis award
YKES awards meritorious master’s theses related to human-animal studies. Master’s theses submitted to the competition may examine the relationship of non-human animals with humans, society or cultures, or other animal-related topics from a social or cultural perspective. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of Human-Animal Studies, the competition entries’ field of research is not limited.
become a member
The society welcomes all researchers and students who are interested in human–animal relations and the cultural and societal factors that shape these relations.