Paper short abstract:

Starting from different case studies the paper aims at outlining the ambivalent relationships between humans and animals in cultural practices, tourist experiences of nature, care of biodiversity and sustainable breeding.

Paper long abstract:

The paper aims at outlining the ambivalent relationship between humans and animals observed in different cultural practices. The first group of cultural practices is represented by ritual competitions in which animals are involved as cooperators of humans and sometimes exposed to injures and risks because of the activity engaged during these traditional races and practices. The second one is the use of animals in open-air sports and leisure practices such as horse-riding tourism and endurance courses during which animals are involved in potentially stressful activities though being extremely cared by owners and riders. The third one is the world of breeding at large which is increasingly representing a contested practice both by animal rights supporters than by a larger audience attentive to animal welfare and ethical food consumers. Through ethnographic accounts, participant observations notes and analysis, and in-depth interviews it will be possible to give back the huge and strong debate about animal sentience and consensus, about animal rights supporters and new vegetarian/vegan movements assertive public engagement and the position of whom considering human/animal interactions in terms of a cooperative co-existence and co-being and not as a 'speciesist' violence doubling racist and colonial yokes rooted and sedimented in domestication practices.