Crooked Cats: Beastly Encounters in the Anthropocene

Big cats that prey on humans are reconceived as "crooked" by anthropologist Nayanika Mathur, who argues that they have deviated from the straight path to become "crooked." This groundbreaking work moves beyond colonial and conservationist accounts to place crooked cats at the center of understanding the planet in crisis. It offers new insights into the governance of nonhuman animals and their intimate entanglements with humans, illuminating the Anthropocene as a method, a way of reframing human-nonhuman relations, and a political tool.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 224 pages
\n Publication date: 12 July 2021
\n Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
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Big cats, such as tigers, leopards, and lions, that prey on humans are often referred to as "man-eaters." However, anthropologist Nayanika Mathur offers a different perspective by reconceptualizing them as "crooked" cats. Through fifteen years of research in India, Mathur's groundbreaking work challenges traditional colonial and conservationist narratives and places crooked cats at the center of understanding the planet in crisis.

The ecological collapse is considered a central factor in why big cats prey on humans. However, the precise cause of crookedness remains uncertain. In Crooked Cats, Mathur delves into the complex lived realities that arise from this lack of knowledge, offering startling insights into the governance of nonhuman animals and their intimate relationships with humans.

Through creative ethnographic storytelling, Mathur highlights the Anthropocene in three critical ways: as a method, as a way of reframing human-nonhuman relations on the planet, and as a political tool indicating the urgency of academic engagement. She weaves together "beastly tales" derived from encounters with big cats, deepening our understanding of the causes, consequences, and conceptualization of the climate crisis.

Crooked Cats is a groundbreaking work that challenges our perceptions of big cats and their role in human-nonhuman relations. It offers a fresh perspective on the Anthropocene and highlights the need for academic engagement in addressing the climate crisis. By reconceptualizing these animals as "crooked," Mathur invites us to reevaluate our understanding of the world and our place in it.

\n Weight: 332g\n
Dimension: 151 x 227 x 16 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780226771922\n \n