LAW
Bachelor	TR-NQF-HE: Level 6	QF-EHEA: First Cycle	EQF-LLL: Level 6

Ders Genel Tanıtım Bilgileri

Course Code:

LAW2006

Ders İsmi:

Animal Rights

Ders Yarıyılı:

Spring
Fall

Ders Kredileri:

Theoretical	Practical	Credit	ECTS
0	2	1	4

Language of instruction:

English

Ders Koşulu:

Ders İş Deneyimini Gerektiriyor mu?:

Type of course:

Departmental Elective

Course Level:

Bachelor

TR-NQF-HE:6. Master`s Degree

QF-EHEA:First Cycle

EQF-LLL:6. Master`s Degree

Mode of Delivery:

E-Learning

Course Coordinator :

Assist. Prof. MERT NOMER

Course Lecturer(s):

Course Assistants:

Dersin Amaç ve İçeriği

Course Objectives:

This course aims to enhance students' understanding of animal rights through theoretical and philosophical perspectives, fostering critical thinking and raising awareness about the legal and ethical dimensions of human-animal relationships. By delving into historical, cultural, and legal contexts, students will explore the key debates and frameworks that shape animal rights discourse and its applications in law.

Course Content:

The course examines animal rights theory from philosophical, legal, and ethical perspectives, exploring the historical transformation of human-animal relationships. It analyzes key theories such as natural law, utilitarianism, rights-based approaches, and abolitionist theory. Discussions focus on anthropocentrism, ethical responsibilities, the legal status of animals, and representation models. The course explores the perspectives of thinkers such as Bentham, Singer, Regan, Francione, and Nussbaum. It also evaluates the relationship between animal rights and theories of justice, global perspectives, and legal developments in Turkey.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;

Learning Outcomes

1 - Knowledge
Theoretical - Conceptual
2 - Skills
Cognitive - Practical
3 - Competences
Communication and Social Competence
Learning Competence
Field Specific Competence
Competence to Work Independently and Take Responsibility

Ders Akış Planı

Week	Subject	Related Preparation
1)	• Overview of the course scope and structure • Explanation of the course plan and chosen topics • Discussion of course objectives and learning outcomes • Introduction to course requirements, including assignments, exams, and participation expectations • Brief introduction to the concept of animal rights and its significance
2)	• Basic terminology and conceptual framework • What is animal theory? • Historical transformation of human-animal relations • The emergence of modern animal rights movement • Animals in Classical Thought o Animal perception in Ancient Greece (Aristotle, Plutarch) o Medieval thought and animals o Cartesian dualism and pre-modern discussions
3)	• Understanding the concept of anthropocentrism • Historical and cultural roots of anthropocentric thinking • Critiques of anthropocentrism in modern thought • Anthropocentrism and its implications for environmental ethics and animal rights
4)	• Classical utilitarianism and animals (Bentham, Mill) • Peter Singer and “Animal Liberation” • Contemporary utilitarian approaches
5)	• Tom Regan and "subject-of-a-life" theory • Bernard Rollin's rights theory and Kantian foundation • Universal fundamental rights discussion
6)	• Gary Francione and critique of “animal property” • “Vegan Revolution” discussion • Practical implications of abolitionist approach
7)	• Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities approach • How care ethics and other relationship-based moral frameworks offer different insights into human-animal relationships • Kantian approach to animal ethics
8)	• Subject/object dichotomy in legal theory • Concept of legal personhood and animals • New approaches in contemporary legal theory
9)
10)	• Guardianship models • Powers and limits of representation • Comparative law examples
11)	• Theoretical foundations of welfare and rights paradigms • Legal implications of both approaches • Comparative analysis of protection models • Hybrid approaches and new perspectives
12)	• Animals in theories of justice • Distributive justice and animal rights • Animal rights from global justice perspective • Citizenship and constitutional debates
13)	• Legislative analysis • Scientific research and ethical dimension • Legal framework of industrial farming • Regulations regarding wild animals
14)	• Protection of companion animals • Stray animals and policy • Judicial developments and case law analysis • Strategic litigation management • Legal activism and roadmap

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks:

References:

● Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed. New York: Harper Perennial, 2023.
● Regan, Tom. The Case for Animal Rights. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004.
● Francione, Gary L. Animals, Property, and the Law. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1995.
● Donaldson, Sue, and Will Kymlicka. Zoopolis: A Political Theory of Animal Rights. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.
● Sunstein, Cass R., and Martha C. Nussbaum, eds. Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.

Ders - Program Öğrenme Kazanım İlişkisi

Ders Öğrenme Kazanımları
Program Outcomes
1) List the relations between concepts and institutions related to various legal disciplines and this concepts and institutions.
2) Have the knowledge of legal methodology and methods of comment.
3) Comment the modern legal gains with the historical knowledge.
4) Have the knowledge of philosophical currents of thought which are the bases of legal rules.
5) Have the knowledge of legal regulations, judicial decisions and the scientific evaluations related to them.
6) Resolve the juridical disagreements in light of legal acts, juridical decisions and doctrine.
7) Use at least one foreign language as scientific language.
8) Have the knowledge of the political and juridical foundation of the state.
9) Have the knowledge of the historical development of the rights of individuals and societies and of the basic documents which are accepted throughout this development.
10) Have the ability to resolve the disagreements which can violate the social order in national or international level.
11) Have the ability to prevent the juridical disagreements between individuals.
12) Have the knowledge of international and comparative law systems.
13) Have the ability of the construction and the conduct of the national and international commercial relations.
14) Use Turkish in an efficient way both verbal and written.
15) Have the ability of the professional and the ethical responsibility.
16) Have the knowledge on the European Union’s legislation and institutions.
17) Have the knowledge on juridical regulations and applications related to economical and financial mechanisms.
18) Have the knowledge of the operation of the national and international judicial bodies.

Ders - Öğrenme Kazanımı İlişkisi

No Effect	1 Lowest	2 Low	3 Average	4 High	5 Highest

	Program Outcomes	Level of Contribution
1)	List the relations between concepts and institutions related to various legal disciplines and this concepts and institutions.	3
2)	Have the knowledge of legal methodology and methods of comment.	3
3)	Comment the modern legal gains with the historical knowledge.	4
4)	Have the knowledge of philosophical currents of thought which are the bases of legal rules.	4
5)	Have the knowledge of legal regulations, judicial decisions and the scientific evaluations related to them.	2
6)	Resolve the juridical disagreements in light of legal acts, juridical decisions and doctrine.
7)	Use at least one foreign language as scientific language.	5
8)	Have the knowledge of the political and juridical foundation of the state.	4
9)	Have the knowledge of the historical development of the rights of individuals and societies and of the basic documents which are accepted throughout this development.	5
10)	Have the ability to resolve the disagreements which can violate the social order in national or international level.
11)	Have the ability to prevent the juridical disagreements between individuals.
12)	Have the knowledge of international and comparative law systems.	3
13)	Have the ability of the construction and the conduct of the national and international commercial relations.
14)	Use Turkish in an efficient way both verbal and written.	3
15)	Have the ability of the professional and the ethical responsibility.
16)	Have the knowledge on the European Union’s legislation and institutions.
17)	Have the knowledge on juridical regulations and applications related to economical and financial mechanisms.
18)	Have the knowledge of the operation of the national and international judicial bodies.

Öğrenme Etkinliği ve Öğretme Yöntemleri

Ölçme ve Değerlendirme Yöntemleri ve Kriterleri

Assessment & Grading

Semester Requirements	Number of Activities	Level of Contribution
Quizzes	10	% 20
Homework Assignments	1	% 15
Presentation	1	% 15
Final	1	% 50
Total		% 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK		% 50
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK		% 50
Total		% 100

İş Yükü ve AKTS Kredisi Hesaplaması

Activities	Number of Activities	Duration (Hours)	Workload
Course Hours	13	2	26
Study Hours Out of Class	13	4	52
Presentations / Seminar	1	1	1
Homework Assignments	1	5	5
Quizzes	10	1	10
Final	1	2	2
Total Workload			96