Changing the Game: Why the Battle for Animal Liberation is So Hard and How We Can Win It

by Norm Phelps

In this controversial and timely book, animal liberation activist Norm Phelps argues that the animal rights movement has reached a crisis point. Faced with the overwhelming wealth and power of the animal exploitation industries, animal activists are like David trying to stand up to Goliath. But rather than following the unsuccessful strategies of the past, Phelps proposes that we change the game by adopting David's strategy of refusing to play by Goliath's rules.First, Changing the Game examines the challenge facing activists and explains why animal liberation is the most difficult struggle for social justice ever undertaken. Next, it surveys the environment in which the American animal rights movement has had to operate since its founding in 1975, and concludes that a period of rapid social progress is about to begin in which animal rights should be aligned with the progressive movement. In addition, it explores the implications for animal liberation in regards to the rising economic, political, and cultural power of nations such as China, India, and Brazil. Finally, the book analyzes the current strategies of the animal liberation movement in terms of the debate between "abolitionists" and "new welfarists," using a theoretical framework created by sociologist Max Weber and elaborated by feminist historian Aileen Kraditor.Compellingly and clearly written, filled with passionate arguments and undeniable truths, Changing the Game is a must read across the animal protection movement and among members of the academic community whose fields of interest include animal rights and social justice.

Genres: Activism

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First published June 1, 2013

About the author

Norm Phelps was the spiritual outreach director of The Fund for Animals, as well as a founding member of the Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians (SERV) and a contributing writer for Satya. His goal was for faith communities of all traditions to include animals within the scope of their compassionate ministries.

Reviews

[Aivars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puts animal rights into a wider context of different social justice movements and draws valuable parallels that allow us to evaluate our approach.

[Martin Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

CHANGING THE GAME first came out as an e-book in 2013, and Lantern Books (at which I am the editor and publisher) worked with Norm to update and expand it as a printed book for its publication in February 2015. Sadly, Norm died after a long illness on December 31, 2014, and so CHANGING THE GAME is his epitaph. I was privileged to work with Norm on all four of his titles, and I found him to be a consummate professional. He was always graceful and and enthusiastic and open to our suggestions. His writing is often polemical, and he wasn't afraid to call it how he saw it; but he was nonetheless unfailingly generous even with those with whom he disagreed, and he always took the extended view on social change (which transferred itself into his prose, which has a calmness and confidence that speaks of conserving energy for the long haul). CHANGING THE GAME asks animal advocates to stop falling into the ideological traps that divide us and to recognize our strengths. For all of Norm's commitment to a rights-based animal advocacy, he was very aware of the need to reach out to others and to honor the motivations of those who may care about animals but whose tactics we disagree with. We are, he states in CHANGING THE GAME, only in the early stages of our campaign for justice, and we should stop acting as though we expect change to happen tomorrow. Such magical thinking is naive, counterproductive, and ahistorical, and stops us from doing the hard work necessary to build coalitions, broaden our constituency, and make genuine inroads. We at Lantern will miss Norm's voice; at the same time, we're honored we were (and are) able to bring his voice to the reader.