Annie Potts

Professor Annie Potts is a distinguished academic at the University of Canterbury's Faculty of Arts, Department of English, where she has held a Professor position since 2003. Her interdisciplinary research bridges Critical Animal Studies, Intersectional Feminism, and Cultural Studies with a focus on human-animal relationships in Aotearoa New Zealand. She serves as Director of the New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies and maintains active collaborations with international institutions including Uppsala University and Lund University.

Her research interests center on the intersection of human-to-human oppression and human-to-animal exploitation, examining topics such as vegan sexuality, ethical consumption, animal advocacy in visual culture, and the cultural demonization of 'pest' species like possums. Current projects include completing a book on possum histories for Sydney University Press and researching human-sparrow relationships across cultures.

Her 15 most recent publications reveal a strong trajectory in intersectional animal studies, with increasing focus on decolonial perspectives, Māori concepts of animal kinship (whanaunga), and critiques of industrial animal agriculture. Key thematic clusters include cultural representations of chickens, feminist analyses of interspecies violence, and the political dimensions of veganism.

• Assisi Award for Services to Animal Welfare in New Zealand (2020)
• Tourism NZ Award for conference bid success (2018)
• University of Canterbury Teaching Award for Excellence in Cultural Studies (2018)
• Animals & Society Institute Fellowship (USA, 2008)
• Health Research Council Research Fellowship (2001-2003)

Professor Potts supervises extensive graduate research with over 25 current and recent students working on topics ranging from dairy industry critiques to possum advocacy and captive animal biographies. She has secured multiple research grants including LMK Foundation funding for 'The Animal Turn' project and collaborates with agencies like the National Animal Welfare in Emergencies Management Advisory Group (NAWEM). Her teaching activities span intersectional animal studies, critical food systems, and gender/sexuality courses.

She directs the New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies and serves on the New Zealand Companion Animal Council representing academic perspectives. Her collaborative network includes the First Strike Group (researching links between family violence and animal abuse) and international partnerships through the Australasian Animal Studies Association.