Villain, Vermin, Icon, Kin : Wolves and the Making of Canada

How relationships with wolves shaped a nation. Wolves have always captured the human imagination. In sketching out the historical connections people have had with wolves, this book contends that the role in which wolves have been cast – monster or hero – has changed dramatically and offers a model for more ethical ways of interacting with animals in the face of a global biodiversity crisis. "A wolf's howl is felt in the body. Frightening and compelling, incomprehensible or entirely knowable, it is a sound that may be heard as threat or invitation but leaves no listener unaffected. Toothsome fiends, interfering pests, or creatures wild and free, wolves have been at the heart of Canada's national story since long before Confederation. Villain, Vermin, Icon, Kin contends that the role in which wolves have been cast - monster or hero - has changed dramatically through time. Exploring the social history of wolves in Canada, Stephanie Rutherford weaves an innovative tapestry from the varied threads of historical and contemporary texts, ideas, and practices in human-wolf relations, from provincial bounties to Farley Mowat's iconic Never Cry Wolf. These examples reveal that Canada was made, in part, through relationships with nonhuman animals. Wolves have always captured the human imagination. In sketching out the connections people have had with wolves at different times, Villain, Vermin, Icon, Kin offers a model for more ethical ways of interacting with animals in the face of a global biodiversity crisis."-- Provided by publisher Cover 1 Copyright 5 Contents 8 Figures 10 Acknowledgments 12 Introduction 18 Part ONE Villains and Vermin 36 1 Fear Settler Encounters with Wildness Out of Place 38 2 Disgust Bounties and Bureaucracies of Extermination 60 Part TWO Recuperating the Wolf 96 3 Passion Writing the Wolf in Canadian Literature 98 4 Curiosity The Scientific Reimagining of a Predator 124 5 Devotion Wolf Love in Modern Times 143 Part THREE Knowing the Wolf 162 6 Ambivalence Dwelling in Multispecies Assemblages 164 7 Empathy Indigenous Teachings Offer a Way Out (and In) 182 Epilogue The Hazards of a Symbol 197 Notes 204 References 208 Index 242 McGill-Queen’s,University,Press,2022,ISBN,978-0-2280-1107-1,(cloth),ISBN,978-0-2280-1108-8,(paper),ISBN,978-0-2280-1340-2,(ePDF),ISBN,978-0-2280-1341-9,(ePUB) McGill-Queen’s University Press 2022,ISBN 978-0-2280-1107-1 (cloth),ISBN 978-0-2280-1108-8 (paper),ISBN 978-0-2280-1340-2 (ePDF),ISBN 978-0-2280-1341-9 (ePUB)