CFP: Sport and Species

Call for Papers: 

Special Issue of Sport, Ethics and Philosophy

Sport and species: How games, sports, and physical culture affect other animals

Editors: Sam Morris and Gabriela Tymowski-Gionet

The lives of non-human animals have forever been intertwined with those of human beings. Such involvement is not without concerns, controversies, and paradoxes. In sport and recreation, horses, dogs, bulls, and other non-human animals have long been involved. Equestrian events are amongst the oldest sports dating back to the Ancient Olympic Games, and continue to be included on the modern Olympic programme today. Horse racing takes place around the world, as does greyhound racing. Dog sled races occur in northern climes in winter, but new sports such as canicross involve dog racing all year around. Dog fighting and cock fighting contests continue. Bull fighting persists in locations across the world, as do rodeo events.

This special issue aims to identify and address the fundamental ethical issues related to these sports and games. It seeks to address whether humans are at all justified in using and involving animals for their sporting and recreational purposes, should the acceptance of animals in these activities be unconstrained, or ought limits to be set on sporting use. What are the duties owed to animals before, during, and after their use in sport? 

This special issue invites the submission of papers on this topic.

Examples of possible themes for consideration:

·       Racing sports (e.g., equine, canine, avian, etc.)

·       Blood sports (e.g., hunting, pit-fighting, Jallikattu, fishing, killing contests, etc.)

·       Olympic sports (e.g., equestrian, dressage, modern pentathlon, etc.)

·       Breeding for sporting purposes

·       Pharmacology for sporting purposes

·       Uses of animal products for sporting purposes (e.g., leather, dietary regimens of athletes, etc.)

·       Wild animal ethics and sports (e.g., the environmental impact of sports, defending animals from aggressors, etc.)

·       Responsibilities of those involved in these activities for animals before, during, and after sport

For those interested in contributing to the special issue, please submit your abstract (300-500 words) directly to both Sam Morris ([email protected]) and Gabriela Tymowski-Gionet ([email protected])

Abstract Deadline: January 15, 2022

Notification of decision: March 4, 2022

Deadline for submission of draft manuscript:  August 15, 2022 through the SEP online platform.

Deadline for submission of full manuscript: December 30, 2022

Length: 5000-7000 words (inclusive of references and notes)

Journal Publication date: early 2023

Information about the journal:Sport, Ethics, and Philosophy is the journal of the British Philosophy of Sport Association. The journal is open to essays of applied philosophy that engage with issues or practice, policy, and scholarship concerning the nature and values of sports. Fundamental essays in philosophy, as they inform our understanding of sport and related practices, are welcomed as are theoretical submissions from cognate disciplines. https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rsep20/current

Instructions for Authors: For guidance on how to submit, please seewww.tandfonline.com/rsep  For Author Services, seehttps://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/ 

Questions: Please send any questions about this special issue to Sam Morris at ([email protected]) or Gabriela Tymowski-Gionet ([email protected]).