Revealing dynamics of power: Building empathy through animals

When you live as a human in a human-centred world, you rarely consider that animals interact, and work for and with humans in various roles.

In her research, Associate Professor Astrid Huopalainen explores the conscious and unconscious uses of power in human-animal interactions.

As humans, we act from a position of power in relation to other animals. Even something as trivial and endearing as walking a dog reveals the unequal power structures between humans and animals – something Huopalainen also recognises in her everyday life.

‘As humans, we decide when and for how long our pets are walked. When I walk my Labrador retrievers Saga and Selma in the morning, I try to pay attention to how they would like us to walk and how they see the world differently than I do, sensing and smelling different things. That urges me to stop and reflect and perhaps try to see things differently, activating my senses and seeing these positions of power from their point of view,’ says Huopalainen.

She points out that hundreds of millions of humans work with animals daily, and the economic impact of human-animal interaction worldwide exceeds the gross domestic product of many countries.

Yet the multiple roles, wellbeing and agency of animals have been overlooked not only in her field, management and organisational research, but also in society at large. There’s still relatively little awareness of the power relations between humans and animals.

Awareness increases empathy towards animals – but also between people

Humans relate very differently and sometimes also paradoxically to different animals, says Huopalainen. For example, big mammals are in some instances easily admired, but there are many small animals that we barely notice.

We have companion animals or animals we share our homes with, and factory-farmed animals whose existence we rarely want to think about. There are customs and police dogs who help in occupational roles, yet might sometimes be violently treated, as well as animals that many people fear and avoid, such as insects or snakes. According to Huopalainen, recognising the agency of these different animals and our relationality with them is essential, especially because we live in a world of crises.

‘We have the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and numerous other problems, such as pandemics, caused by humans. We need to understand that we have caused these problems by putting ourselves at the top of the power pyramid, by exploiting and using nature and other animals.’

Huopalainen feels that the survival of humanity and the planet depend on recognising the agency of these invisible “others” and on treating animals ethically, whether cute fluffy pets or farmed animals.

‘By dismantling these power structures, we can act as individuals and consumers for a better multispecies planet and a more sustainable future. Awareness and knowledge don’t just increase empathy towards animals but also between people.’

The entire Revealing dynamics of power article will be published in Aalto University Magazine issue 33, September 2023.

Text: Tiina Forsberg
Photos: Jaakko Kahilaniemi