You Are Cordially Invited To Attend
United Poultry Concerns’ Ninth Annual Conference
on the topic of
Expert Discourse and the Problem of the Chicken
(The Chicken as Case Study in Examining Expert Discourses about Animals)
Please note venue change:
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Best Western Fairfax
3535 Chain Bridge Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: 703-591-5500 or 1-800-937-8376
Conference Hours: 8am-6pm
Synopsis: Featuring the Chicken as the case study, we will consider the plight of animals in the world, who they really are, the advocacy they need, and what we can learn about who is granted the status of being an “expert” about them, and who isn’t. Examined in light of these issues are writings by Temple Grandin, Michael Pollan, Peter Singer and other “experts.” Analysis will be grounded in undercover investigations of poultry operations, chicken rescue and sanctuary experiences, and texts regarded by mainstream culture as “expert.”
Pre-paid Registration: $50. Students $5-$15 sliding scale with valid student ID (No one turned away due to lack of funds.) Seniors (over 65) $30.
To register, send check or money order to: United Poultry Concerns, PO Box 150, Machipongo, VA 23405. Or register by credit card at www.upc-online.org/forums/2010/.
Schedule
Saturday, October 30th 8:00 AM – 6 PM
Morning
8:00 – 8:30 Registration, Continental Breakfast
8:30 – 8:45 Welcome by Karen Davis, PhD, President, United Poultry Concerns
8:45 – 9:45 Karen Davis, “Chicken Belittled: An Inquiry Into the Representation of Chickens, Animal Liberation and Animal Welfare in the Writings of Peter Singer & Temple Grandin”
9:45 – 10:45 Mary Britton Clouse, “Bird in Hand: Convenient Opinion, Inconvenient Truth, and the Consequences of Critical Thought about Chickens”
10:45 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 12:00 Nathan Runkle, “Putting the Chicken Before the Egg: A Current Look at Our Nation’s Treatment of Domestic Fowl”
Noon – 1:00 PM Vegan Buffet Luncheon in the Conference Room
Afternoon
1:00 – 2:00 Vasile Stanescu, “‘Green’ Eggs and Ham? The Myth of Sustainable Poultry and the Danger of the Local in the Works of Michael Pollan, Barbara Kingsolver and Joel Salatin”
2:00 – 3:00 Carol Adams, “The Real Omnivore’s Dilemma: ‘Eating Well’ and the Experts.”
3:00 – 3:15 Break
3:15 – 4:30 Introduction of Virgil Butler & Video: Presentation “Inside Tyson’s Hell: Why I Got Out of the Chicken Slaughtering Business.”
4:30 – 5:30 General Discussion, Q & A
5:30 – 6:00 Closing Remarks, Conclusion
Speakers
Karen Davis, PhD is the President of United Poultry Concerns, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl. Karen will discuss “Chickens Belittled: An Inquiry Into the Representation of Chickens, Animal Liberation and Animal Welfare in the Writings of Peter Singer and Temple Grandin.”
Carol J. Adams is the author of numerous essays and books, most influentially The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory. Carol will discuss “The Real Omnivore‘s Dilemma: ‘Eating Well’ and the Experts.”
Mary Britton Clouse is the President of Chicken Run Rescue, an educational chicken rehabilitation center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mary will discuss “Bird in Hand: Convenient Opinion, Inconvenient Truth, and the Consequences of Critical Thought about Chickens.”
Nathan Runkle is the Executive Director of Mercy For Animals, a nonprofit organization working to create a society where animals are treated with the respect and compassion they so rightly deserve. Nathan will discuss “Putting the Chicken Before the Egg: A Current Look at Our Nation’s Treatment of Domestic Fowl.”
Vasile Stanescu is a PhD candidate in the Program of Modern Thought and Literature at Stanford University and the recipient of distinguished awards and prestigious nominations for his writings on animal and environmental issues. Vasile will discuss “‘Green’ Eggs and Ham? The Myth of Sustainable Poultry and the Danger of the Local in the Works of Michael Pollan, Barbara Kingsolver and Joel Salatin.”
Video Presentation by Virgil Butler. Virgil is a former chicken slaughterhouse worker who died on December 15, 2006 following his powerful and only videotaped presentation, “Inside Tyson’s Hell: Why I Got Out of the Chicken Slaughtering Business.” On Dec. 8, 2003, Virgil was profiled in the Los Angeles Times in “A Killing Floor Chronicle.”