The Williams and De Mello

M2 Reading Response Questions:
The Williams and DeMello chapter is a long one for this Module – don’t despair as I have tried to post
questions below that will help you to hone in a bit. That said, each of the categories of non-human
animals that she explores are as important as the next. I encourage you to familiarize yourselves with
how each of the animals discussed in this chapter experiences life and death.
Try to move quickly through the different topics in the first half, and focus more heavily on the second
half of the chapter and social justice, and some of the ways that various systems intersect to create and
perpetuate oppression.
From the Lecture:

1. In your own words, describe how capitalism works, and what some of the downsides are.
2. What is income inequality and what is the problem with the large gaps we see today?
3. From the lecture, how does political economy theory connect to capitalism and then, discuss how
   it connects to the meat industry.
4. What are some of the problems associated with the power of large corporations? Offer a few
   examples from the lecture.
5. What would a conflict theorist say about the oppression of human and non-human animals?
   From Williams and DeMello Chapter 2:
6. Offer a very brief discussion of the two federal laws that exist to protect farmed animals, then
   outline Williams and DeMello’s discussion of “transport, biotechnology and cloning”.
7. Please carefully read the part of the chapter about birds (chickens and turkeys). For both birds,
   please discuss their lives, what their existence entails, and their deaths.
8. For the rest of the animal categories in chapter 2, please choose two of the following to briefly
   discuss. What did you learn about their lives as factory farmed animals?
   a. Pigs
   b. Cows
   c. Rabbits
   d. Fish
9. How does factory farming impact its workers? Briefly discuss the following concerns:
   a. Worker safety
   b. Illness and disability
   c. Systemic abuse
   d. Factory farm workers
   e. Immigrant labor
   10.Brifly discuss how factor farms impact the following:
   a. Consumption of natural resources
   b. Water
   c. Air pollution
   d. Global climate change
   Reflections
   What connections can you make between the reading and the lecture? If you are linking to a political
   economy theory, or conflict theory, how might you discuss what you are learning about meat production?

Sample Solution