The Enemy of Kinship & Kinship with the Enemy

Society and Animals. 2025. Vol. 33. No. 2. P. 115–130.

Ahlberg K., Kompatsiaris P.

The Enemy of Kinship & Kinship with the Enemy, examines anti-anthropocentric ideas of kinship through the lens of the “enemy.” It asks how animals conceptualized as “enemies” challenge expanded definitions of kinship. The introduction explores how figures such as parasites, pests, and invasive species dis- rupt ethical imperatives for kinship and compassion with nonhuman others. These beings often seek contact with humans, who frequently respond with efforts to expel or eradicate them. By rethinking kinship beyond traditional Western paradigms, the issue highlights how different models of kinship create distinct “enemies” and shape
actions to counter or coexist with these “anti-social” others. Through case studies from
Latin America, Southeast Asia, West Africa, and Northern Europe, the issue explores the complexities of making kin with the enemy while uncovering diverse kinship systems in which such relationships unfold.

Keywords: cultural anthropology, Animals and society