TITLE:
Animal Rights:
History & Scope of a Radical Social Movement

AUTHOR:
Harold D. Guither

PUBLISHER:
Southern Illinois University Press
P O Box 3697,
Carbondale, Illinois 62902
Tel: 618-453-6633

ISBN #:
0-8093-2199-8 paperback, 0-8093-2158-0 cloth

RETAIL PRICE:
$25.00 paperback, $50.00 cloth

ABOUT THE BOOK:
In the past decade, philosopher Bernard Rollin points out, we have "witnessed
a major revolution in social concern with animal welfare and [the] moral
status of animals."  Adopting the stance of a moderate, Harold Guither
attempts to provide an unbiased examination of the paths and goals of the
members of the animal rights movement and of its detractors.

Given the level of confusion, suspicion, misunderstanding, and mistrust
between the two sides, Guither admits the difficulty in locating, much less
staying in, the middle of the road.  The philosophical conflict, however, is
fairly clear: those who resist reform, fearing that radical change in the
treatment of animals will infringe on their business and property rights
versus the new activists who approve a different set of moral and ethical
obligations toward animals.

From his position as a moderate, Guither presents a brief history of animal
protection and the emergence of animal rights, describes the scope of the
movement, and identifies major players such as Paul and Linda McCartney and
organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that are
actively involved in the movement.  He concentrates on what is actually
happening in the 1990s, discussing in detail the possible consequences of the
current debate for those who own, use, or enjoy animals in entertainment and
leisure pursuits.  A reference work for students in animal sciences and
veterinary medicine, the book also poses questions for philosophers,
sociologists, and public policymakers as well as animal owners, animal and
biomedical researchers and manufacturers and distributors of animal equipment
and supplies.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Harold D. Guither is a professor emeritus of agricultural policy at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  The author or coauthor of five
books, his thirty-nine-year tenure at the University of Illinois includes two
years on a USAID assignment in Jordan plus a stint as a staff member in the
US House of Representatives and the US Department of Agriculture.