PSYCHOLOGY, SEXUALITY, AND ANIMALITY in Spring 2026 (PY1099FB1)

Psychology has played a particularly influential role in the study of non-human animals and of different sorts of human-animal relationships. This class will explore historical and contemporary debates concerning the scientific study as well as the clinical contributions of non-human animals in therapeutic contexts. The course discusses the classification of animals, naturalistic observations of their behavior, and interactions with humans, as well as their roles in experimental research. Across these different areas, the course highlights the ways in which the study of non-human animals has contributed to research on sex, gender, and sexuality (and also vice versa) Through a class project, students will gain hands-on experience with different field methods used in psychology and will conduct exploratory research on the relations between sexuality, gender, and animality in everyday discourse and practice.