I enjoyed learning about the Henry Spira award. It is given by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health to “honor animal activists in the animal welfare, protection, or rights movements who work to achieve progress through dialogue and collaboration.”
The criteria for the award are based on Peter Singer’s summary of the methods Spira used in his own advocacy. Many of them seem like strong guiding principles for EA work in general:
Understands public opinion, and what people outside of the animal rights/welfare movement are thinking.
Selects a course of action based upon public opinion, intensity of animal suffering, and the opportunities for change.
Sets goals that are achievable and that go beyond raising public awareness. Is willing to bring about meaningful change one step at a time.
Is absolutely credible. Doesn’t rely on exaggeration or hype to persuade
Is willing to work with anyone to make progress. Doesn’t “divide the world into saints and sinners.”
Seeks dialogue and offers realistic solutions to problems.
Is courageous enough to be confrontational if attempts at dialogue and collaboration fail.
Avoids bureaucracy and empire-building.
Tries to solve problems without going through the legal system, except as a last resort.
Asks “Will it work?” whenever planning a course of action. Stays focused on the practical realities involved in change, as well as ethical and moral imperatives.
See the bottom of this page for a list of winners (most recently in 2011; I don’t know whether the award is still “active”).
I enjoyed learning about the Henry Spira award. It is given by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health to “honor animal activists in the animal welfare, protection, or rights movements who work to achieve progress through dialogue and collaboration.”
The criteria for the award are based on Peter Singer’s summary of the methods Spira used in his own advocacy. Many of them seem like strong guiding principles for EA work in general:
See the bottom of this page for a list of winners (most recently in 2011; I don’t know whether the award is still “active”).