ABSTRACT
Even with the early stage of development of the tourism literature focused on animals in tourism, a myriad of problems involving animal “use” in tourism has already been documented. The premise for this chapter is to rethink the systems and approaches that currently enslave animals within the tourism context and demonstrate an ideological and a pragmatic way forward. Drawing on the broadest form of social justice to include species justice, this chapter outlines the major ethical violations against animals that exist within the capitalist (anthropocentric, neocolonial) system that dominates today. It also discusses what it means to transition into a post-human ethic that explores a political framework of animal rights and prioritises egalitarianism and community over human exceptionalism. Finally, the chapter will close with practical considerations on how to advance such an agenda of obligations to animals given today’s challenges by adapting community-based tourism frameworks to be in line with socialist principles and post-humanistic ethos.
