Social Systems and Non-Human Animals

About

The Multispecies Collective Dialogue Series is our series of events that shines a spotlight on non-members’ research or practice toward multispecies flourishing. In this dialogue, Professor De Azevedo shares details of his research project which aims to observe the socio-legal conditions underpinning the formation of Animal Law, with a particular focus on the Brazilian legal context. To this end, the study examines the positivity of law as a process established by organisations (decision-making), analysing the actions of social movements linked to the animal cause and seeking to identify how these animalist movements, by problematising processes of inclusion/exclusion of non-human animals within social systems, ultimately make visible the cultural tensions of society. The research seeks to understand how organisational systems (such as the State, corporations, scientific committees, and religious organisations) respond to the protest strategies of NGOs and other institutions dedicated to animal protection, with particular attention to the role of Constitutions in the judicialisation promoted by these movements, as well as their contribution to the construction of a dogmatics of Animal Law. This study is conceived with the aim of developing a Sociology of Animal Law, integrating discussions on Constitutional Law, Human Rights, Environmental Law, and Health Law. Animal Law generates a (re)problematization of issues such as inclusion/exclusion, inequality, property rights, and criteria for the moral, political, and legal consideration of sentient animals. Accordingly, the main research problem is framed by the following question: What are the sociological conditions for the development of a legal theory that considers sentience as an element for recognising non-human animals as persons?

This research dialogue is hybrid format taking place in person (with coffee and cake!) and online. It follows a roundtable format: a brief welcome, 20 minute presentation by Professor De Azevedo followed by a 30 minute discussion/Q&A with all attendees.

Please register to attend. If you are attending online, joining details will be shared when you receive your ticket.

Speakers

PRESENTER

Professor Guilherme de Azevedo is Professor in the Postgraduate Law Programme at the University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos (Unisinos), with postdoctoral training at the University of Birmingham (United Kingdom). Visiting professor and fellow of the Brazil Visiting Fellows Scheme at the University of Birmingham and visiting researcher at the University of Manchester (United Kingdom). Doctorate and Master's degree in Law from Unisinos. Coordinator of the Law course at Unisinos (2012/2025). Member of the CNPq Law Theory Research Group. Founding member of ABraSD - Brazilian Association of Researchers in Sociology of Law, member of the ABraSD presidency (2016/2017 and 2018/2019) and member of the Deliberative Council for the 2022/2024. Member of the Latin American Network on Social Systems and Complexity (RELASSC). Works in the research area ‘Society, New Rights and Transnationalisation’ of the Postgraduate Programme in Law at Unisinos, developing research in the areas of Sociology of Law, Theory and History of Law. Interested in the following topics: Theory of Social Systems, Animal Law, Sociology of Constitutions, Legal System and Inequalities, Organisations and Legal Decision-Making, Global Society and Democracy and Anti-Discrimination Law.

CHAIR

Dr Iyan Offor is an assistant professor in environmental law and sustainable development at the University of Birmingham and founding leader of the Multispecies Collective. Iyan is a critical socio-legal theorist conducting interdisciplinary research on multispecies legalities. His active research projects are: Solarpunk Narrative and Multispecies (Legal) Worlding; and Transqueer Ecological Justice. Iyan recently published his monograph Global Animal Law from the Margins. Iyan is editor for the Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy and academic consultant for the UK Centre for Animal Law.

Hosts

The Multispecies Collective

The Multispecies Collective is a research group led by Birmingham Law School’s Dr Iyan Offor. The Multispecies Collective is a collaborative group of researchers working together with practitioners to create knowledge, theory and practice for positive change toward futures of flourishing for animals, nature and society. The collective’s work is guided by considerations of: multispecies flourishing, linking theory and practice, change-and future-oriented ways of working, interdisciplinary, and plural thinking. The collective aims to produce research and practice, maintain a community space, manage and connect with a network, share resources and generate impact all in the pursuit of multispecies flourishing. The collective connects with its network through its reading group, dialogue series, research showcase, and hosting platform. It manages a visiting research programme, PhD programme, and other opportunities.

BLS Environment & Sustainability Research Theme

The Environment & Sustainability Research Theme brings together Birmingham Law School researchers within the broad area of environment and sustainability, investigating how law can secure environmental justice—from intergenerational rights to multispecies flourishing—while turning research into real-world change. The theme creates space for cross-fertilisation of ideas to avoid treating environmental issues in siloes, applying a plurality of interdisciplinary perspectives including interactions between the sciences, the humanities and the social sciences. The theme's research is guided by four overarching enquiries into: environmental justice, care and theory; environmental conservation, preservation and natural resources; environmental risk, harm and regulation; and environmental law, protection and other regimes. The theme hosts various research projects and networks within this remit, connecting with its network via a research discussion series and other events.