Nonhuman animals in media for children: vessels for anthropocentric and anthropomorphic representations

Abstract

Nowadays, children establish more bonds with nonhuman animals through their representation in media than in real-life interactions. The portrayals of nonhumans are decisive in the inculcation of speciesist ideologies and anthropocentric perspectives. This paper aims to contribute to the body of literature on the portrayal of nonhumans in children-oriented content. To this end, this paper reviews the pre-existing research on the portrayal of nonhuman animals in media for children from a critical animal studies perspective and an anti-speciesist stance. Most of the research done in the representation of nonhumans in media for children usually maintains a human-centric perspective: the analyses focus on the interpretation of animals as symbols and embodiment of human matters. The present paper finds that the employed amount of anthropomorphizing can either generate empathy towards other species or disconnect viewers from the represented animal through an excessive cutification. Overall, nonhuman animals are represented in connection to human issues, within an instrumental continuum and happily “consenting” to being used. Moreover, the persistent gendering of nonhumans includes the projection of human heteronormativity onto nonhumans. Predominantly, the acknowledgment of their individuality depends on the degree of stereotyping and if the anthropomorphized traits include voice and naming.