Aristotle wrote that humans are the only political species, because the human race is able to recognize the difference between right and wrong, good and evil. Nowadays, other animals are still excluded from the political landscape, while humans continue to make decisions that will influence their lives. We are still in the process of learning more about their cultures and interior lives, that prove to be more complex than we initially thought. Animals defend and protect themselves against, but also work and live alongside humans: we share our planet and our households.

In Political Animals, Eva Meijer discusses how we could live with non-human animals in a different way. Could we possibly start to see them as our fellow citizens, or as a sovereign race? And can we organize a different kind of democracy, which will include a wide variety of species? What is just? And what do they actually want?

‘An extremely useful philosophical contribution to a debate that will certainly carry on in the future.’ – NRC

‘Political Animals offers the opportunity to temporarily view the world from a completely different perspective. A daring, original, innovative, very well-written and accessible essay.’ – Trouw