DEFENDING ANIMALS, DISAPPOINTING PEOPLE

Defending Animals Disappointing People offers a ground breaking exploration of what happens when caring deeply about animals places us in conflict with the people we love Drawing on care ethics and relational philosophy Karen S Emmerman develops relational vegan ecofeminism a framework that takes animals moral standing seriously while also acknowledging the emotional cultural and familial stakes woven into human traditions Rather than treating veganism as a simple matter of ethical prioritization Emmerman shows that refusing a grandmother s lovingly prepared chicken soup or rejecting a family hunting tradition carries profound relational weight These moments produce moral remainders of lingering hurt regret or estrangement that persists even when we make the best ethical choice Through richly contextual analysis Emmerman argues that ethical life requires more than clear principles it requires relational moral attention a practice of empathy repair curiosity and mutual recognition Balancing philosophical rigor with narrative warmth the book illuminates the tensions grief and possibilities at the heart of living ethically in a speciesist world Defending Animals Disappointing People sets out a hopeful yet honest path for navigating both inter