Abstract

Starting from the disciplinary positioning of the animal question within the social sciences and through a frame analysis of Italian television talk shows, this paper considers the ways information and media may affect the social construction of animal otherness and advocacy as well as the absence or presence in the media of relevant issues for animal living conditions. On the one hand, media narratives and representations legitimate power relationships with other species by normalizing oppressive human practices and through objectifying categorizations. On the other hand, information and representations of ‘livestock animals’ oppressive conditions support awareness about the consequences of consumption practices