Sunday April 16th Prof. Maneesha Deckha, Veganism, Dairy, Decolonization: How Being Vegan Aligns with Decolonization Goals. In person and on Zoom.
Plant-based diets are often perceived as being antithetical to Indigenous interests in what is today colonially known as Canada. This perceived antithesis hinges on veganism’s rejection of the consumption of animals. This apparent antithesis, however, is a misperception that a reframing of ethical veganism can help correct. Dr. Deckha argues that veganism’s objection to dairy should be underscored as a central concern of ethical veganism. Such emphasis not only brings into view the substantial alignment between plant-based diets and Indigenous worldviews, but also highlights the related goals of decolonization and reconciliation in Canada.
Professor Deckha (BA McGill; LLB Toronto; LLM Columbia) joined the UVic Faculty of Law in 2002 after practising at the Ministry of the Attorney General in Toronto. She is currently Professor and Lansdowne Chair in Law at UVic where she also directs the Animals & Society Research Initiative. Prof. Deckha’s research interests include animal legal studies and critical animal studies, feminist animal care theory and feminist analysis of law, socio-legal studies in general, and reproductive and end-of-life ethics. Her current project examines the lack of government regulation in favour of farmed animals as a rule of law violation and thus a matter of constitutional import.
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