Problematic Policies: A College Perspective on Animal Rights Laws

Author: Kairo Campbell

Field of Study: English

Program Affiliation: Source Project Research Program

Faculty Mentors: Matthew Cole

Easel: 51

Timeslot: Afternoon

Abstract: Despite advocates for their moral importance, animals are underrepresented in climate justice reparations. This has led to pushes for policy change, but these attempts often seek to persuade the public without an initial understanding of their perspective. This project seeks to develop the understanding of a younger generation’s stance on prospective policy change and how animals should be protected. Surveys and interviews were administered to college students with a focus on different aspects of animal justice policies at local levels, seeking to evaluate how effective these current policies are at representing the wishes of the general public. Furthermore, the results of the data were compiled and interpreted to understand how these students view animal justice policies as a whole. There is currently an underdeveloped outlook on how the next generation of voters view animal rights, which this study seeks to rectify, providing crucial information that may direct future priorities of animal justice.