What It Means To Be Human
Reflections from 1791 to the present
- Paperback
480 pages
- Release Date
12 March 2013
Summary
In 1872, a woman known only as ‘An Ernest Englishwoman’ published an open letter entitled ‘Are women animals?’, in which she protested the fact that women were not treated as fully human. In reality, their status was worse than that of animals: regulations prohibiting cruelty against dogs, horses and cattle were significantly more punitive than laws against cruelty to women.
What does it mean to be ‘human’ rather than ‘animal’? If the Ernest Englishwoman had turned her gaze to the pre…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781844086450 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1844086453 |
| Author: | Joanna Bourke, Professor Joanna Bourke |
| Publisher: | Little, Brown Book Group |
| Imprint: | Virago Press Ltd |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 480 |
| Release Date: | 12 March 2013 |
| Weight: | 328g |
| Dimensions: | 130mm x 200mm x 32mm |
What They're Saying
Critics Review
Bourke’s critique of the concept of human rights opens an important debate on a complacent ideal - Observer - Philip Ball
Provocative, exhilarating … Bourke’s intelligence is sharp, her language lively, and the cultural images striking - The Times - Iain FinlaysonWhat it Means to be Human ingeniously subverts assumptions of a clear-cut notion of “humanity”. Bourke successfully undermines any complacency about absolute distinctions … Bourke deserves congratulations for bravely going where many historians would fear to tread. She also deserves many readers prepared to engage critically with the important issues raised by her quest to deconstruct “being human” - Times Higher Education Supplement - Sheila RowbothamAbout The Author
Joanna Bourke
Joanna Bourke is a professor of history at Birkbeck College in London. Her book An Intimate History of Killing received critical acclaim, winning the Wolfson History Prize.
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