Conference by David J. Holroyd: “Navigating the Leviathan: A Skeptical Ethos for Animal Politics.”

Date: May 26th, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The CRÉ, the Social Justice Centre (SJC) and the Research Group on Environmental and Animal Ethics (GRÉEA) are pleased to welcome David J. Holroyd (University of Sheffield), who will give a talk entitled Navigating the Leviathan: A Skeptical Ethos for Animal Politics.

Abstract: Within contemporary Animal Politics, the state is frequently positioned as the primary vehicle for justice, with animals framed as the ‘next frontier’ for integration via legal rights and representation. However, this extensionist approach frequently overlooks the state’s historic role in facilitating the systemic exclusion and political subordination of nonhuman animals. Given this reality, how should animalist scholars orient themselves toward the state?

This presentation proposes a skeptical ethos toward the state, moving beyond the binary of statist optimism and anarchist dismissal. The talk addresses three core features of this orientation:

        1)   Recognising historical realities: State-building projects have historically caused many animal injustices, undermining the state’s presumed emancipatory potential.

        2)   Engaging with imperfect institutions: Political complexities must be navigated case-by-case, since an outright rejection of statist approaches may expose animals to more severe injustices.

        3)  Expanding political imaginations: To envisage radical forms of politics beyond the anthropocentric status quo, one must step outside an exclusively statist framework for ‘doing politics’.

By cultivating a skeptical ethos, scholars (and activists) can move beyond entrenched dogmas to discover more reliable, nuanced, and effective modes of political engagement with the Leviathan.

Biography: David John Holroyd is a PhD candidate in political theory at the University of Sheffield, funded by the White Rose College of Arts and Humanities. His research broadly addresses the themes of animal justice, state power, social identity, and the role of academic ideas in public debate.

Chair: Juliette Roussin (Université Laval).

To participate via Zoom, click here (Meeting ID: 704 532 7051; Secret code: 9Me2EW).