Wildlife as an affective multiplicity: Approaching Deleuzo–Guattarian pack-animals

Abstract

Our study explores the ways, in which humans living and working in national parks, encounter, conceive and think about wild animals. The study is framed through the lens of Deleuzo–Guattarian concepts, notably wildlife as ‘affective multiplicities’ and ‘pack-animals’. Through ethnographic exploration in Latvian national parks, we uncover a spectrum of human responses to wildlife, from affectionate engagements to conflicts arising from conservation and livelihood practices. Our findings highlight the critical role of affective relationality and multiplicity in understanding human–wildlife coexistence. It suggests that Deleuzo–Guattarian pack-animal category offer a valuable framework for discussing coexistence, urging more research to deepen understanding of affective human–wildlife relations. This research underscores the importance of considering affective encounters and the multiplicity of wildlife in conservation and management practices, proposing a nuanced approach to human–wildlife coexistence that embraces ecological complexity and the myriad forms of life within nature.