Yulin Dog Meat Festival Case Study
I chose the second article in appendix B which focuses on the different key players in response to the Yulin Dog Meat Festival.
The act of torturing dogs before eating them during the Yulin Dog Meat Festival is one that is harshly criticised by animal lovers, activists and the general public all over the globe. No doubt, the Western perception of dogs and pets as companions and deserving of animal rights justifies their protest and condemnation of the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. However, that is also reflective of the heart of ethnocentrism, because people outside the cultural boundaries of China are passing judgements about the Yulin Dog Meat Festival by using their own culture as the basis of comparison. Critiques of the festival have their …show more content…
This is why pet lovers frown upon the practices of Yulin Dog Meat Festival and are rising up to protest against it.
One can also take on a different perspective and view the festival with the lens of cultural relativism. A cultural relativist would come to terms with the festival, as repugnant and abhorrent it may be to them, because they respect the sovereignty of a culture not of their own and believe that every cultural group has their own right to engage in their localised activities based on their beliefs and norms. A cultural relativist may not support the practices involved but they will not protest against it because they believe in human sovereignty and individual rights.
These two major viewpoints can be further analysed by looking at varying perspectives and the symbolisms and functions attached to dogs in particular, which explains why different groups react differently. Harsh critics of the Yulin Dog Meat Festival would view dogs as man’s best …show more content…
This group is just one example of many others that portray the idea of social solidarity, the coming together of people with the same mindset for the same cause. These social groups are known to be powerful and forceful, firmly seeking to make a change, especially so when the group is founded on the grounds of similar convictions. On top of that, the local group in Yulin that refuses to give in to pressures for them to stop their consumption of dog meat is another example of social solidarity because they share the common consensus that there is nothing inherently wrong with capturing and eating
The act of torturing dogs before eating them during the Yulin Dog Meat Festival is one that is harshly criticised by animal lovers, activists and the general public all over the globe. No doubt, the Western perception of dogs and pets as companions and deserving of animal rights justifies their protest and condemnation of the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. However, that is also reflective of the heart of ethnocentrism, because people outside the cultural boundaries of China are passing judgements about the Yulin Dog Meat Festival by using their own culture as the basis of comparison. Critiques of the festival have their …show more content…
This is why pet lovers frown upon the practices of Yulin Dog Meat Festival and are rising up to protest against it.
One can also take on a different perspective and view the festival with the lens of cultural relativism. A cultural relativist would come to terms with the festival, as repugnant and abhorrent it may be to them, because they respect the sovereignty of a culture not of their own and believe that every cultural group has their own right to engage in their localised activities based on their beliefs and norms. A cultural relativist may not support the practices involved but they will not protest against it because they believe in human sovereignty and individual rights.
These two major viewpoints can be further analysed by looking at varying perspectives and the symbolisms and functions attached to dogs in particular, which explains why different groups react differently. Harsh critics of the Yulin Dog Meat Festival would view dogs as man’s best …show more content…
This group is just one example of many others that portray the idea of social solidarity, the coming together of people with the same mindset for the same cause. These social groups are known to be powerful and forceful, firmly seeking to make a change, especially so when the group is founded on the grounds of similar convictions. On top of that, the local group in Yulin that refuses to give in to pressures for them to stop their consumption of dog meat is another example of social solidarity because they share the common consensus that there is nothing inherently wrong with capturing and eating