Think Like a Vegan

In this powerful season finale, I bring our exploration of nature, politics, and animal liberation to a profound conclusion by looking to the forest as a model for a just society.Gregory Tague, a scholar with over two decades of work in environmental and animal ethics, introduces a radical idea: the forest is a sovereign state. It operates not with a single dominant power, but through a complex web of mutual obligations, where inhabitants respect boundaries and avoid confrontation for the collective advantage of all.We dive into a key excerpt from Tague’s book, Forest Sovereignty, which argues that forest organisms understand something we humans have forgotten: true association isn't about transactional exchanges, but about the net result of sustainability for the entire ecosystem. In this "liberal society" of the forest, stability comes from the diversity of its organisms, all with a free right to resources.This episode is a call to action. Reflecting on the entire season, we're reminded our struggle for a fairer world has deep roots, and that change, while slow, is possible. The season is retroactively dedicated to all those — vegans, activists, and thinkers — who are pushing boundaries and striving for the liberation of both humans and non-humans.This is a fitting end to a season challenging us to learn from the ancient, self-sustaining wisdom of the forest and to continue the long, necessary work of building a new, more just existence for all.Key Takeaways:Forests as a model for a sustainable, self-governing society.The concept of "associative duties" we hold towards all wild life.A powerful message of solidarity for those fighting for liberation.A compelling conclusion to a season-long discussion on nature and politics.Listen to the full episode to hear this inspiring conversation and conclude the season with a renewed sense of purpose.Website/Socials & BooksGregory F. TagueWebsite: https://sites.google.com/site/gftague/Book: Forest Sovereignty: Wildlife sustainability and ethics (Peter Lang 2025)Other links"Sovereign Forests" https://theecologist.org/2025/oct/10/sovereign-forestsLiterary Veganism: An online journal https://www.litvegan.netEmi Leesehttps://emilialeese.substack.comhttp://thinklikeavegan.comhttp://emilialeese.comInstagram @emi.leeseYouTube https://www.youtube.com/@thinklikeavegan/videosCreditsHost: Emilia A. LeeseGuest: Gregory F. TagueProduction & Engineering: Jim Moore of Bloody Vegans Productions; https://www.bloodyvegansproductions.comGraphics: Catherine Dorrell https://www.messyvegancook.comMusicOpening theme: “Flashbacks” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic BusinessInterlude: "Ōuda Afternoon I" music by Matthew Gerstenberger, voice by ChiyakoClosing theme: “Tear Things Up” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic BusinessThis podcast is part of iROAR, the Animals Podcasting Network https://iroarpod.com

Join me for a provocative conversation with brothers Vasile and James Stănescu as we deconstruct the common yet charged concept of "invasive species." Moving beyond a simplified view of nature, we explore how the rhetoric of "invasion ecology" creates a violent foundation justifying perpetual war against certain animals.Drawing from their contributions to the critical book, The Ethics and Rhetoric of Invasion Ecology, James and Vasile unpack the real-world consequences of this ideology. Vasile illustrates the cyclical failure of "management," where killing one species leads to an explosion in another, forcing us to ask: why must nature be violated in order to protect it? James, one of the book's editors, examines the militarized language and apocalyptic tone used to describe non-native species, which in turn dictates a response of total eradication—a hyperbolic reaction to hyperbolic communication.This episode challenges the sanitized ideal of a pristine wilderness and delves into the ethical costs of this worldview for both human and non-human animals. Tune in for a deep dive into the intersection of language, ecology, and animal liberation.Website/Socials & Books:Vasile StǎnescuWebsite: How we win https://www.winforanimals.org Podcast: How we win https://www.winforanimals.org/how-we-win-podcast Instagram: @professional.vegan Article: "How Industrial Slaughter Became the Blueprint for Modern Capitalism" https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-industrial-slaughter-became-the-blueprint-for-modern-capitalism James StǎnescuWebsite: https://www.criticalanimal.com Book: The Ethics and Rhetoric of Invasion Ecology (Lexington Books, 2017)Other linksBanu Subramanian, "The Aliens Have Landed! Reflections on the Rhetoric of Biological Invasions" https://www.jstor.org/stable/40338794 Emi Leesehttps://emilialeese.substack.com http://thinklikeavegan.com http://emilialeese.com Instagram @emi.leese YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@thinklikeavegan/videos CreditsHost: Emilia A. Leese Guest: Vasile Stǎnescu and James StǎnescuProduction & Engineering: Jim Moore of Bloody Vegans Productions; https://www.bloodyvegansproductions.com Graphics: Catherine Dorrell https://www.messyvegancook.com MusicOpening theme: “Flashbacks” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business Interlude: "Ōuda Afternoon I" music by Matthew Gerstenberger, voice by ChiyakoClosing theme: “Tear Things Up” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic BusinessThis podcast is part of iROAR, the Animals Podcasting Network https://iroarpod.com

When disaster strikes – a flood, wildfire, massive quake – most of the headlines understandably focus on the human toll. But what happens to the animals? They are the silent, often invisible victims, and their suffering is deeply intertwined with our own. The bonds between people and their animals and the wildlife sharing our ecosystems mean that when animals suffer, human communities suffer too.So, how do we break this cycle? How can we provide help and assistance to both people and animals, and work towards preventing these catastrophes, especially those supercharged by climate change?In this compelling episode, I speak with Altamush Saeed, a dedicated professional working tirelessly on the front lines in Pakistan to do just that. He shares powerful and innovative approaches to building resilient communities protecting all their members irrespective of species. Join us for a conversation going beyond the headlines to reveal a more compassionate and effective model for disaster response, one which includes the well-being of people and the planet's creatures as one, unified path toward a safer, healthier future for all.Website/Socials & Books:Altamush SaeedInstagram https://www.instagram.com/altamushsaeed LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/altamushsaeed95/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Altamushsaeed95 Case note on the animal rights sentience judgment - https://tinyurl.com/2r256uzv Other linksCharity Doings Foundation Pakistanhttps://twitter.com/CharityDoings https://www.linkedin.com/company/charity-doings-foundation/ instagram.com/charitydoingsfoundation https://youtube.com/channel/UCTLoPSGdZb-Qy_1ncAUYkRA https://www.facebook.com/CharityDoingz/ Environmental and Animal Rights Consultants Pakistanhttps://www.facebook.com/EARCPAK https://www.instagram.com/earcpakistan https://www.linkedin.com/company/environmental-and-animal-rights-consultants-llp-pakistan/ Emi Leesehttps://emilialeese.substack.com http://thinklikeavegan.com http://emilialeese.com Instagram @emi.leese YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@thinklikeavegan/videos CreditsHost: Emilia A. Leese Guest: Altamush SaeedProduction & Engineering: Jim Moore of Bloody Vegans Productions; https://www.bloodyvegansproductions.com Graphics: Catherine Dorrell https://www.messyvegancook.com MusicOpening theme: “Flashbacks” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business Interlude: "Ofusa Fuurin" by Matthew GerstenbergerClosing theme: “Tear Things Up” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic BusinessThis podcast is part of iROAR, the Animals Podcasting Network https://iroarpod.com

Ever been told an animal is a "problem"? From the deer in our backyards and the pigeons in our cities to the elephants on their ancestral lands, we constantly label other species as pests, nuisances, and issues to be solved. But what if the real problem isn't the animal themselves, but the way we choose to see them?In this episode, Claudia Hirtenfelder, host of the acclaimed podcast The Animal Turn and a brilliant geographer, unravels the surprising process of how we "make" animals into problems. She introduces her powerful concept of "problematization" — the social and historical system where animals are first labelled as a problem in our laws and conversations, and then managed, or even removed, because of it.We'll explore the consequences of this labeling and discover how this framework explains not just the history of cows in one Canadian city, but the global stories of creatures from coyotes and badgers to sea gulls and squirrels. Get ready to have your perspective flipped. Tune in to ask the critical question: When we call an animal a problem, what are we really saying about ourselves?Website/Socials & Books:Claudia HirtenfelderPodcast: https://www.theanimalturnpodcast.com    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-hirtenfelder-a360241a  Article: "An analytical framework to understand the problematization of urban (historical) animals" https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/25148486241281227 Other linksVienna Animal Studies Group: https://www.viennaanimalstudies.com Phoenix Zones: https://www.phoenixzonesinitiative.org Transformation Austria: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10009315345939 Wild crows inhabiting the city use it to their advantage - David Attenborough - BBC wildlife https://youtu.be/BGPGknpq3e0?si=HVn4TpZuTJWOcFTG  Straying Home: A film essay with urban animals https://youtu.be/kfITJ9zDU5w?si=LKHljLvR2nFjt3ne by just wondering https://justwondering.io/beyond-speciesism-beyond-humanism-beyond/ "Turkey's street-living dogs: Thoughts in light of Turkey's controversial 'adoption' law", by Emilia Leese https://open.substack.com/pub/emilialeese/p/turkeys-street-living-dogs Emi Leesehttps://emilialeese.substack.com       http://thinklikeavegan.com        http://emilialeese.com       Instagram @emi.leese YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@thinklikeavegan/videos     CreditsHost: Emilia A. Leese Guest: Claudia HirtenfelderProduction & Engineering: Jim Moore of Bloody Vegans Productions; https://www.bloodyvegansproductions.com      Graphics: Catherine Dorrell https://www.messyvegancook.com      MusicOpening theme: “Flashbacks” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business Interlude: "No Time" by Matthew GerstenbergerClosing theme: “Tear Things Up” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic BusinessThis podcast is part of iROAR, the Animals Podcasting Network https://iroarpod.com   

Join me for a conversation with scholar-activist Amanda Williams as we dismantle the idea of "adult supremacy" and connect it to the broader fight for total liberation. Amanda shows us how our first lessons in power often start with controlling children, and how to turn that awareness into tangible action for a more compassionate world.Website/Socials & BooksAmanda WilliamsLinktree: https://linktr.ee/amandarwilliamsBooks by Amanda: The Overprivileged Human; What Can I Do?; Exploring Topics in Non/Human CoexistenceFree Frankie pressure campaign: https://www.kcactionforanimals.org/ Recommended books: Raising our Children, Raising Ourselves by Naomi Aldort; Unconditional Parenting by Alfie KohnOther links"Ten Unschooling Boogeymen And How They're All NBD", by Agni Hogaboom https://buymeacoffee.com/agnihogaboom/ten-unschooling-boogeymen "Unschooling For Parents Who Don't Unschool", by Agni Hogaboom https://buymeacoffee.com/agnihogaboom/unschooling-for-parents-who-don-unschool-761293 Emi Leesehttps://emilialeese.substack.com      http://thinklikeavegan.com       http://emilialeese.com      Instagram @emi.leese YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@thinklikeavegan/videos    CreditsHost: Emilia A. Leese Guest: Amanda WilliamsProduction & Engineering: Jim Moore of Bloody Vegans Productions; https://www.bloodyvegansproductions.com     Graphics: Catherine Dorrell https://www.messyvegancook.com     MusicOpening theme: “Flashbacks” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business Interlude: "Mushi" by Matthew GerstenbergerClosing theme: “Tear Things Up” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic BusinessThis podcast is part of iROAR, the Animals Podcasting Network https://iroarpod.com