Buffalo, NY – Canisius University is the new host institution for Sloth: A Journal of Emerging Voices in Human-Animal Studies. The international peer-reviewed journal showcases undergraduate and graduate scholarship in the field. Previously published by the Animals & Society Institute (ASI), which closed in summer 2025, the journal now resides within Canisius’ nationally recognized Anthrozoology Program.
Hosting the journal provides students with direct exposure to academic publishing and the peer-review process, further preparing them for graduate study and professional careers in research, advocacy and related fields.
“The opportunity to host Sloth reflects the strength and momentum of our Anthrozoology Program,” said Joshua Russell, PhD, associate dean of natural sciences and host editor of the journal. “Our students won’t just study the field - they will actively help shape scholarly conversations within it. Working alongside faculty mentors to review manuscripts, contribute book reviews and steward the journal’s digital platform gives them meaningful, professional experience that extends well beyond the classroom.”
Founded in 2015 and now in its seventh volume, Sloth is a multi-disciplinary journal that explores relationships between human and nonhuman animals through the social sciences, humanities and natural sciences. All submissions undergo a rigorous four-stage, peer-review process. With its transition to Canisius, the journal will continue publishing undergraduate scholarship while expanding opportunities for graduate student contributions.
The journal takes its name from the arboreal sloth, characterized as deliberate, thoughtful and careful – qualities that reflect the purposeful scholarship the publication seeks to promote.
The Anthrozoology Program at Canisius prepares students to explore complex relationships between humans and other animal species across scientific, social and humanistic frameworks. Students work closely with faculty scholars and engage with leading researchers in the field, building professional networks that extend beyond campus. Many students present their research at national and international conferences, including the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ), and have published their scholarship in academic journals. Alumni have gone on to doctoral programs and careers dedicated to advancing animal welfare and related fields.
For more information about Sloth and to explore current or past volumes, click here. Undergraduate and graduate students interested in submitting work can do so at @email.
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
