Amy P. Wilson
University of Johannesburg, South Africa, South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional, Public, Human Rights and International Law, Research Associate
UCLA School of Law, Animal Law and Policy Program, Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy Fellow
Amy P. Wilson is the co-founder and Acting Executive Director of Animal Law Reform South Africa, the first dedicated animal law non-profit in the country. She is a Lecturer and Research Associate with the University of Johannesburg; a Senior Adjunct Lecturer with the University of the Western Cape and an Adjunct Instructor at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University.
She is an LLD candidate and was the first South African attorney to receive an LL.M. in Animal Law. Amy is an Independent Expert with the United Nations in Harmony with Nature Programme.
Amy previously worked the Brooks Institute Animal Law and Policy Fellow and with the Animal Law Program at UCLA School of Law in California and the Aquatic Animal Law Initiative Fellow at Lewis & Clark Law School. She has leadership positions in a number of non-profits throughout Africa and has worked with other animal protection non-profits in the USA. Her main research interests are in the intersection of the rights of humans, animals and Nature and how these are reflected in law and policy.
Wilson received her B.Com and LL.B. degrees at the University of Johannesburg. Amy previously worked as a senior associate practicing corporate law at the largest law firm in Africa. She is currently undertaking her LLD in Human and Animal Rights Law.
Wilson has been published in international animal law journals and publications, is currently working on a number of research and writing projects including co-editing a book on animal law in South Africa and co-authoring a book on aquatic animal law.
Supervisors: Professor David Bilchitz
She is an LLD candidate and was the first South African attorney to receive an LL.M. in Animal Law. Amy is an Independent Expert with the United Nations in Harmony with Nature Programme.
Amy previously worked the Brooks Institute Animal Law and Policy Fellow and with the Animal Law Program at UCLA School of Law in California and the Aquatic Animal Law Initiative Fellow at Lewis & Clark Law School. She has leadership positions in a number of non-profits throughout Africa and has worked with other animal protection non-profits in the USA. Her main research interests are in the intersection of the rights of humans, animals and Nature and how these are reflected in law and policy.
Wilson received her B.Com and LL.B. degrees at the University of Johannesburg. Amy previously worked as a senior associate practicing corporate law at the largest law firm in Africa. She is currently undertaking her LLD in Human and Animal Rights Law.
Wilson has been published in international animal law journals and publications, is currently working on a number of research and writing projects including co-editing a book on animal law in South Africa and co-authoring a book on aquatic animal law.
Supervisors: Professor David Bilchitz
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Papers by Amy P. Wilson
It will explore how the concept of ‘separateness’ has defined our legal institutions and society and led to the status quo - a society based on division, control, oppression and injustice. More urgently, however, is how it has placed our very existence under threat - with the reality of mass extinction, global pandemic and an environmental crisis.
Our man-made legal papers guarantee members of the human family certain fundamental rights, based on our inherent dignity. One example of such basic guaranteed right, is the right to environment - frequently captured in international agreements or domestic legislation around the world. The provision itself usually includes concepts such as “sustainability”, and a promise not only for environmental benefits for the present generation - but for future generations too.
Yet, these provisions also come with a number of underlying assumptions, such as that this “environment” - composed of sentient nonhuman animals and nature - are simply natural resources. As such, they may be exploited, or their use, justified, in the name of development or some other anthropocentric aim. Value is generally attributed based solely on economic considerations, with intrinsic or ecological worth, excluded.
Positively, these assumptions are being challenged and transformed, in a tangible way. The traditional boundaries of law have extended in recent years beyond mere consideration of the relationships among human animals and human-centric approaches - to those recognising nonhuman animals and nature as a living entities, worthy of legal protection in their own right.
Accordingly, while the work of lawyers may have conventionally focused on the relationships among legal subjects – including human animals or even their corporate interests , gradually, it is expanding to include (those traditionally accepted as) legal subjects. However, even with the similarities between these human rights, animal rights and earth rights -based approaches, efforts remain largely fragmented, disconnected and even opposed. Thus, emerges the necessity to connect and integrate this trinity of protections through the concept Inter-Earth Rights...
Books by Amy P. Wilson
It will explore how the concept of ‘separateness’ has defined our legal institutions and society and led to the status quo - a society based on division, control, oppression and injustice. More urgently, however, is how it has placed our very existence under threat - with the reality of mass extinction, global pandemic and an environmental crisis.
Our man-made legal papers guarantee members of the human family certain fundamental rights, based on our inherent dignity. One example of such basic guaranteed right, is the right to environment - frequently captured in international agreements or domestic legislation around the world. The provision itself usually includes concepts such as “sustainability”, and a promise not only for environmental benefits for the present generation - but for future generations too.
Yet, these provisions also come with a number of underlying assumptions, such as that this “environment” - composed of sentient nonhuman animals and nature - are simply natural resources. As such, they may be exploited, or their use, justified, in the name of development or some other anthropocentric aim. Value is generally attributed based solely on economic considerations, with intrinsic or ecological worth, excluded.
Positively, these assumptions are being challenged and transformed, in a tangible way. The traditional boundaries of law have extended in recent years beyond mere consideration of the relationships among human animals and human-centric approaches - to those recognising nonhuman animals and nature as a living entities, worthy of legal protection in their own right.
Accordingly, while the work of lawyers may have conventionally focused on the relationships among legal subjects – including human animals or even their corporate interests , gradually, it is expanding to include (those traditionally accepted as) legal subjects. However, even with the similarities between these human rights, animal rights and earth rights -based approaches, efforts remain largely fragmented, disconnected and even opposed. Thus, emerges the necessity to connect and integrate this trinity of protections through the concept Inter-Earth Rights...