Focus Statement + Agency Debate
After reading a chapter from Single’s Demystifying the Dissertation entitled, “The Focus Statement,” I took a stab at creating my own focus statement out of the research project I have developed thus far:
My research focuses on war dogs, their relationships with their human companions, and the ways in which said dogs were presented to the civilian public during World War I in order to boost morale.
A current debate that resonates most readily with my research is that of animal agency. Indeed, discussions of agency developed in the 1980s and at first focused on groups of people who have been marginalized in the past such as women and slaves. Recently, however, the debates have shifted to include animals as well. Some questions that have been raised: do animals have agency? Can animals be said to be similar to humans in their ability to have agency? Do other non-human entities have agency?
Although not the primary concern of my work, agency is still highly relevant to my discussion of dogs in wartime: did dogs willingly go into battle, serving alongside their human counterparts? Did dogs choose to be brave and courageous under times of immense duress? This then leads one to perhaps wonder: why does this issue matter? Why are discussions of agency important? This is difficult to pin down and the answer could potentially be different for a variety of historians and scholars, alike. For this historian, it is a crucial question because it makes dogs a much more complex aspect of warfare rather than another mere means of technology, put to work purely for man’s own purposes.
February 22, 2015 @ 10:15 am
Laura,
Is agency something that researchers in areas other than history or the more broadly humanistic “animal studies” are examining? I’m also wondering about dogs in areas like law enforcement or in the military currently. Do you know anything about current debates over training or use of animals? And how might (or would?) those debates raise questions about the significance of your WWI research?
February 23, 2015 @ 8:28 am
Hi Dr. Jones,
Agency is something that researchers in other academic areas study. Animal studies, in particular, include agency to a great extent as do animal psychology and biology studies, as well. Unfortunately, I felt like some of these fields were a bit out of the scope of my paper but I recognize this limitation in my discussion of agency.
I am including a section of my paper entitled, “The Legacy of War Dogs,” in which I address current uses of dogs and the use of canines since World War I in order to put the war into some perspective. There are some debates still concerning the humanity of using animals in warfare but, as they are not used currently as much as they were in the past, it is not as much of a hotly contested issue.
Lastly, I like your last question in particular. I think that will be something I will have to ponder and address in my paper. Thank you!
February 23, 2015 @ 1:28 am
Much like Dr. Jones, I’m wondering how you think your research will interact with the existing scholarship on animal-human relationships during WWI. I understand it may be outside the scope of your project, but I’m also interested in why you chose to study WWI. Are the relationships during this conflict different, or special in some way? Or, is it perhaps an exemplary case study for other reasons?
February 23, 2015 @ 8:33 am
Hi Sara,
There actually is a good little bit of existing scholarship concerning dogs in World War I. I see my niche as the intersection between dogs used in WWI, agency, and the use of dogs to boost civilian morale during the war. Interestingly, I chose WWI and dogs in particular, because typically it is horses that are heralded as war heroes. Furthermore, with the onslaught of new technologies during that time period, it is incredible that dogs were still able to fulfill a variety of roles (and quite successfully). Lastly, the relationships during this conflict were a bit different. WWI was the first war in which dogs were used on a large, organized scale. Also, WWI developed on the heels of new Victorian ideas concerning pets (i.e. instead of laborers who needed to work to earn their keep) and dogs were included. Thanks for the great questions!
February 23, 2015 @ 9:55 am
You are really developing the significance of your project. All good answers to Sara’s questions and ones I see you incorporating into your final paper.
February 23, 2015 @ 10:14 am
Thanks, Dr. Jones!
February 23, 2015 @ 11:41 am
Laura,
I think your question about the possible similarities or differences between human and canine agency is interesting but could present some challenges for you. I am curious how you might compare or determine if animals can have agency similar to humans. I am inclined to believe they can and do have agency similar to that of humans, but I wonder how you go about answering that question.
February 23, 2015 @ 11:44 am
Hi David,
I agree with you completely! I suppose I am not entirely trying to answer the question of human agency versus dog agency. I will be more so presenting it as part of the historiography of my topic and I might offer a little of my own insight on it. Unfortunately, agency is a highly contested issue and I do not think even those who study the subject could even answer that question. Thank you for your thoughts and for making me think as well!
February 23, 2015 @ 12:09 pm
Laura,
As a dog lover from way back, I really am interested to hear your final thoughts on the agency of dogs, which, I would assume, could ultimately role over into other species, such as the agency of horses in war, or the role/importance of cats in the ancient Egyptian culture, etc. I find this topic of great interest to me, as I once met a WWI veteran who was in the Salem Veterans Home, who was a dog handler in the Great War. He was with the 328th Infantry, as part of the 82nd Infantry Division, the “All Americans.” He was very lucid and had many fond memories of his days of working with his dog. He told of being stuck in “no man’s land” during and after a shelling and how his dog was so watchful, that he was able to get some sleep, as he was stuck out there for 2 days, before he could get back to Allied lines. His dog was a Labrador Retriever from what I can recall. I have been fascinated with the use of dags in warfare ever since. The United States Coast Guard used dogs extensively in WWII in beach patrols, etc. and that might be a source for looking into how they formed their program and where the origins of the training came from, since it was just over twenty years between the wars. Also, there is a very interesting article with research and contact information for the author, in this month’s America in World II magazine. It deals specifically on the use of dogs in WWII, but the origins of the canine program are covered and the writer might have other sources available for you as well if you contact him. Good luck and I am definitely looking forward to reading your final paper.
February 23, 2015 @ 12:57 pm
Hi Tiny,
Wow! I am so jealous that you were able to talk with a WWI veteran and one that had a canine companion, at that. That is really neat. Thank you for the information you have provided concerning WWII dogs. I will definitely look into your suggestions. Thanks again!