Alternative knowledge claims in and of themselves are rarely threatening to the conventional knowledge. Such claims are routinely ignored, discredited, or simply absorbed and marginalized in existing paradigms. – Patricia Hill Collins, Black Feminist Thought
Like other forms of alternative knowledge, veganism is "routinely ignored, discredited, or simply absorbed and marginalized in existing paradigms." This is the case with how veganism is often treated by utilitarian and rights theorists.
In response to yesterday's post, a friend sent me this recent quote from rights theorist Gary Francione: "Veganism is the principle of abolition applied to the life of the individual." This shows how veganism can be absorbed and marginalized in existing paradigms.
Treating "veganism" merely in terms of the individual marginalizes its promise and possibilities; it takes what was created as a social change movement, a philosophy/theory, and a way of life and reduces it to a mere individual action.
While the work referenced by the above quote demonstrates veganism being absorbed and made marginal, earlier works by the same theorist simply ignore veganism altogether. Neither does Francione talk about veganism as a movement, philosophy or way of life in either Rain without Thunder or Introduction to Animal Rights.
The former book is written as a critical analysis of the animal advocacy movement, yet all it has to say about veganism is a footnote wrongly stating, "Veganism is a diet that excludes all animal products, including eggs and dairy products." The latter book explores how animal rights "mean that we could no longer justify our institutional exploitation of animals for food, clothing, amusement, or experiments" and how "the institutional exploitation of animals must be abolished." Yet, he fails to acknowledge that this has been the basic principle of the vegan movement for more than 56 years at the time he published his book.
Veganism will continue to be marginalized as long as theorists and organizations continue to use it as a dietary or consumer supplement to their external theories. I'd like to see veganism affirmed as the autonomous praxis of a movement.
