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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.