How the Routine Killing of Animals Works

Slaughterhouses are an indispensable part of meat production, yet the work there is far removed from most people’s everyday reality. While for many of us meat is just another product on the supermarket shelf, the workers in the slaughterhouses face a particular challenge: They are obliged to kill animals on a daily basis without letting emotions such as pity, guilt or regret affect them. But how do they manage to achieve this state of “emotional neutrality”? A recent study by sociologist Dr. Marcel Sebastian from TU Dortmund University delivers insights behind the scenes of slaughterhouse work – and shows which strategies staff use to control their emotions so that killing becomes a routine.