Verónica Policarpo
I hold a PhD in Social Sciences (Sociology) by ICS-ULisboa (2011). My current research interests are focused on human-animal relationships and the construction of daily practices and bonds between human and non-human animals. I explore whether these practices contribute to challenging inter-species barriers and to redefining the human-animal continuum. I am interested in a more-than-human approach in which all living beings are considered as active stakeholders and collaborators in the co-construction of shared worlds.
Currently, I explore this subject in two different topics: the relationships between children and companion animals; and the situation of non-human animals in natural disasters. At ICS-ULisboa, I coordinate, within this field of studies:
- the Human-Animal Studies Hub, with the support of the Animals & Society Institute and its International Development Award;
- project "CLAN - Children-Animal's Friendships: challenging boundaries between humans and non-humans in contemporary societies", funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (PTDC/SOC 28415/2017);
- project “Liminal Becomings: reframing human-animal relationships in natural disasters”, individual project CEECIND/02719/2017;
- the International Summer School in Human-Animal Studies, a collaboration between ICS-ULisboa, the University of Malärden (Sweden);
- the post-graduate course Animals and Society;
- the "Animal Wonder - Reading Group on Human-Animal Studies @ICS-ULisboa".
At ICS-ULisboa, I am also:
- a member of the research groups LIFE – Life Course and Inequalities; and ATS – Environment, Territory and Society;
Other areas of research are affect studies; friendship studies; gender and sexuality; resilience, quality of life and well-being; advanced research methodologies, both quantitative and qualitative.
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