MacIntyre in ecological political thought: animality, dependencies and local communities

Should a political theory of the human-animal relationship draw on Aristotelian modes of thought such as those developed by Alasdair MacIntyre? Might this approach open possibilities that remain inaccessible to some dominant perspectives? In light of the growing concern within ecological discourse to move beyond dualistic frameworks, this article examines MacIntyre’s conception of the proximity between human and nonhuman animals as a promising site for such reflection. Beginning from the premise of human animality and converging with feminist ethics of care, MacIntyre highlights the political significance of vulnerability and dependence. He advocates for local communities of practice in which reciprocal dependence is acknowledged, proposing this as a political response to the modern difficulty of establishing non-manipulative relationships. Although MacIntyre does not explicitly address ecological questions, his reflections provide thought-provoking insights for these debates. He demonstrates a striking appreciation for nonhuman animals and their own good, and his vision of certain local social configurations can be extended to communities of ecological practice, where the striving for the good for humans is understood as related to the striving for the good for other animals. This paper reconstructs MacIntyre’s perspective on the human-animal relationship, explores the potential of his concept of ‘acknowledged dependence’ for ecological politics and outlines a preliminary vision of an ecological community articulated in a MacIntyrean key. The central claim is that MacIntyre’s unconventional treatment of human animality and proximity to other animals can yield unexpected and fruitful insights for contemporary ecological debates.