Puck Brecher

Puck Brecher is a Professor in the Department of History at Washington State University's College of Arts and Sciences. His scholarship focuses on early modern and modern Japanese social and cultural history, with particular expertise in human-animal relationships, environmental history, aesthetics, and the study of autonomy in historical contexts.

• Ph.D., University of Southern California, 2005
• M.A., University of Michigan, 1991
• B.A., Kenyon College, 1988

Dr. Brecher's research explores intersections between cultural practices and environmental thought in Japan, including topics like the historical treatment of animals, urban development, and the role of eccentricity in shaping societal norms. His 2022 book Animal Care in Japanese Tradition: A Short History examines the evolution of animal ethics in Japanese culture.

Recent publications emphasize multispecies dynamics (2023), imperial ecology (2023), and global environmental history frameworks (2024). His work also addresses transnational comparisons in wildlife conservation, religious influences on sport, and historical responses to ecological crises.

Dr. Brecher's methodological approach blends interdisciplinary analysis with close textual study of historical documents, literary works, and ethnographic sources. He has contributed extensively to journals like Asian Ethnology and Early Modern Japan, focusing on marginalized figures and alternative historical narratives.