Karen Davis
| Karen Davis | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Education | PhD in English |
| Alma mater | University of Maryland, College Park |
| Occupation | Writer, animal rights advocate |
| Organization | Founder and president, United Poultry Concerns |
| Website | |
| United Poultry Concerns | |
Karen Davis is an American animal rights advocate, and president of United Poultry Concerns, a non-profit organization founded in 1990 to address the treatment of domestic fowl – including chickens, turkeys and ducks – in factory farming. Davis also maintains a sanctuary.
She is the author of several books on veganism and animal rights, including Prisoned Chickens, Poisoned Eggs: An Inside Look at the Modern Poultry Industry (1997) and The Holocaust and the Henmaid's Tale: A Case for Comparing Atrocities (2005).
Contents |
[edit] Background
Davis obtained her PhD in English from the University of Maryland, College Park.[1]
[edit] Activism
Davis regularly addresses the annual National Animal Rights conferences, and was inducted in July 2002 into the Animal Rights Hall of Fame "for outstanding contributions to animal liberation."[2] Since 1999, she and United Poultry Concerns have hosted six conferences on farmed animal advocacy issues. She launched a campaign against National Public Radio's "This American Life" for its annual "Poultry Slam" show, arguing that host Ira Glass was contributing to the poor treatment and slaughter of chickens and turkeys. Eventually, Glass visited Davis's sanctuary and announced on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2008 that he had become a vegetarian thanks to Davis.[3]
[edit] Publications
- Books
- A Home for Henny. United Poultry Concerns, 1996 (children's book)
- Prisoned Chickens, Poisoned Eggs: An Inside Look at the Modern Poultry Industry. Book Publishing Co., 1996.
- Instead of Chicken, Instead of Turkey: A Poultryless "Poultry" Potpourri. Book Publishing Co., 1999.
- More Than a Meal: The Turkey in History, Myth, Ritual, and Reality. Lantern Books, 2001.
- The Holocaust and the Henmaid’s Tale: A Case for Comparing Atrocities. Lantern Books, 2005.
- Articles/chapters
- "Thinking like a chicken: Farm Animals and the Feminine Connection" in Adams, Carol J. Animals and Women: Feminist Theoretical Explorations. Duke University Press, 1995.
- "Open Rescue: Putting a Face on Liberation," in Nocella, Anthony and Best, Steven. Terrorists or Freedom Fighters: Reflections on the Liberation of Animals. Lantern Books, 2004.
- "From Hunting Grounds to Chicken Rights: My Story in an Eggshell," in Kemmerer, Lisa A. Sister Species: Women, Animals, and Social Justice. University of Illinois Press, 2011.
- "Freeing Birds from Food Production," in The Global Guide to Animal Protection. University of Illinois Press, 2012.
- "The Social Life of Chickens" in Experiencing Animals: Encounters between Animal and Human Minds. Columbia University Press (forthcoming).
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ For a story that mentions her early activism, see "Campus Life: Maryland; A Regent's Seat For Frank Perdue Draws Protests", The New York Times, March 3, 1991.
- ^ "U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame". arconference.org. http://arconference.org/ARHOF.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
- ^ "Ira Glass on David Letterman". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP02yahsoCw#t=04m08s. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
