Wikipedia:Today's featured article/September 20, 2016
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An Introduction to Animals and Political Theory, a 2010 textbook by the British political theorist Alasdair Cochrane (pictured), was one of the first works to link the question of animal rights to the concept of justice in political philosophy. Cochrane's book examines five schools of political theory—utilitarianism, liberalism, communitarianism, Marxism and feminism—and their positions on animal rights and the political status of (non-human) animals. He concludes that each tradition has something to offer, but ultimately prefers what he calls an interest-based approach, building primarily upon liberalism and utilitarianism. He argues that rights derived from interests can protect animals and place limits on what can be done to them; these rights cannot be violated, even in the name of the greater good. The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics described the book as "the first introductory level text to offer an accessible overview on the status of animals in contemporary political theory". Cochrane's account of interest-based rights for animals was considered at greater length in his 2012 book Animal Rights Without Liberation. (Full article...)