How do we live with other species? Laura Jean McKay and Esther Woolfson reflect on the complex relationship between humans and animals.

McKay is an expert on animal communication and animal ethics. Her debut novel, The Animals in That Country, asks profound questions in an apocalyptic setting, imagining what would happen, for better or worse, if we finally understood what animals were saying.

Woolfson has lived with birds for decades, observing them closely and getting to know their always-individual ways. She now looks at the broader picture to examine some of the most complex ethical issues surrounding our treatment of animals, arguing passionately and persuasively for a more humble and humane relationship with the creatures who share our world. She explores the representation of animals in art, our consumption of them for food, our experiments on them for science and our willingness to slaughter them for sport, fashion and decoration, as well as examining concepts of love and ownership.

In conversation with philosopher and writer Julian Baggini.

Laura Jean McKay’s The Animals in that Country is published by Scribe and Esther Woolfson’s Between Light and Storm: How We Live With Other Species is published by Granta. Buy copies of both books from Waterstones, our bookselling partners via the links.

It’s important to us that ideas and debate are affordable to everyone. It’s also important that our commentators, artists, writers, poets and thinkers are paid. This is a Pay What You Can event. You are invited to choose your own contribution to the event, from £0 to £8. All proceeds go towards supporting our speakers and sustaining Festival of Ideas. The option to attend for free is available for all online events.

Festival of Ideas: Laura Jean McKay and Esther Woolfson