Paper short abstract:

The paper studies narratives in which non-human actors (animals), are used for shaping the representations of human/more-than-human bonds in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war. Through these narratives we see the extension of epistemic frames that counter imperialism and human exceptionalism.

Paper long abstract:

Drawing on the concept of “humanitarian narrative” as elaborated by Thomas Laqueur (1989), the paper proposes to approach symbols and narratives of non-human animals as realization of the post-humanitarian narrative, which broadens the boundaries of the “living landscape” in which not only human life, but also non-human animals’ and even not animals’ (land- and waterscapes) existences are included. For Laqueur, the humanitarian narrative developed since the scientific revolution of the 17th century and produced a specific kind of reaction to the suffering of the others (“common people” and the poor) - the reactions based on compassion and sympathy. I argue that the post-humanitarian narrative extends the boundaries between human and hon-human and produces not only compassion and sympathy, but also a distinct incentive for care that puts action in the continuum from past, present, into the future. Indeed, the future becomes a central driving force for the workings of this narrative. The post-humanitarian narrative extends the understanding of whose lives are “grievable” (Butler 2009) and worth mourning/saving.

The post-humanitarian narrative is a child of the the 21st century reflecting and encompassing all kinds of “posts” – postmodernism, postsecularism, postcolonialism. It is the product of the Anthropocene that bears a critical awareness of global warming, nuclear threats, and possible catastrophic destruction. Moreover, through this narrative we can see a critical reflection on the work of international humanitarian organizations that lack a deeper understanding of local contexts. In this way, post-humanitarian narrative works withing the decolonial framework producing new epistemologies of war.