Racism as Zoological Witchcraft: A Guide to Getting Out by Aph Ko Summary

1. How white supremacy uses animality to enforce racial hierarchies
2. Why intersectionality fails to connect oppression’s colonial roots
3. Zoological witchcraft as Eurocentric consumption of Black bodies
4. Dimensionality over intersectionality for unified liberation frameworks
5. Animal liberation as anti-racist praxis against colonial binaries
6. Black veganism’s role in dismantling human-animal hierarchies
7. Why privilege stems from colonial inscription, not identity
8. Afro-zoological activism links speciesism to anti-Black violence
9. White supremacy’s spiritual power through dehumanizing animalization
10. How neoliberal identity politics perpetuates fragmented social justice
11. Black liberation requires rejecting human/animal racial taxonomies
12. The cost of separating anti-racism from animal rights

About the Author

Aph Ko is a decolonial theorist, activist, and author of Racism as Zoological Witchcraft: A Guide to Getting Out, a groundbreaking work blending critical race theory, animal ethics, and anti-colonial analysis. She holds a B.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies and an M.A. in Communication. Ko's scholarship examines how racism and animal exploitation intersect through systems of dehumanization.

She co-authored the influential essay collection Aphro-ism: Essays on Pop Culture, Feminism, and Black Veganism from Two Sisters with her sister Syl Ko, reframing animal rights through an anti-racist lens.

Ko founded Black Vegans Rock, a pioneering platform spotlighting Black vegan voices that won a 2016 VegNews Bloggy Award and earned recognition from PETA for amplifying marginalized perspectives. Her work as associate producer on the Sundance-awarded documentary Always in Season and contributions to The New York Times, Huffington Post, and academic journals establish her as a leading voice at the intersection of social justice movements. The Praxis of Justice in an Era of Black Lives Matter, which she co-edited, further cements her role in contemporary critical theory.

FAQs About This Book

What is Racism as Zoological Witchcraft about?

Racism as Zoological Witchcraft argues that white supremacy operates through dehumanizing Black individuals by equating them with animals, a process Aph Ko terms "zoological witchcraft." The book connects colonial violence, racial capitalism, and speciesism, revealing how systemic oppression relies on degrading both Black bodies and nonhuman animals to sustain power structures.

Who is Aph Ko?

Aph Ko is a Black vegan theorist, digital media producer, and author known for pioneering work linking anti-racism and animal rights. She holds degrees in Women’s/Gender Studies and Communication, founded Black Vegans Rock, and co-authored Aphro-ism. Her work has been featured in The New York Times and VegNews, and she produced the Sundance-winning documentary Always in Season.

Who should read Racism as Zoological Witchcraft?

This book is essential for scholars and activists exploring intersectional anti-racism, decolonial theory, or critical animal studies. It appeals to readers seeking fresh frameworks to dismantle systemic oppression, particularly those interested in how race, speciesism, and capitalism interconnect.

Is Racism as Zoological Witchcraft worth reading?

Yes—it offers a groundbreaking lens to analyze racism, blending sharp theoretical insights with historical examples like the eroticization of Black bodies and the leather industry’s ties to slavery. Ko’s critique of fragmented activism challenges readers to rethink social justice strategies.

How does Aph Ko define "zoological witchcraft"?

Ko defines it as a colonial practice where whiteness spiritually and materially consumes Blackness by reducing it to animality. This process justifies violence, such as slavery’s bodily exploitation and modern cultural appropriation, while reinforcing white dominance through dehumanization.

What is the human/animal binary in the book?

The human/animal binary is a colonial construct used to classify Black and Indigenous people as "nonhuman," enabling their exploitation. Ko argues this binary fuels racism and speciesism simultaneously, as both oppressed groups are deemed disposable by white supremacy.

How does the book critique intersectionality?

Ko critiques mainstream intersectionality for treating oppressions (racism, sexism, speciesism) as separate issues, which dilutes their systemic connections. She advocates for an afro-zoological approach that centers how animality underpins all racialized violence.

What historical examples support Ko’s thesis?

The book cites enslavers tanning Black skin into leather, sexualizing Black bodies, and commodifying enslaved people as livestock. These acts exemplify zoological witchcraft’s literal and symbolic consumption of Black humanity.

How does Racism as Zoological Witchcraft relate to veganism?

Ko ties veganism to anti-racism by exposing how animal exploitation and racial oppression stem from the same dehumanizing logic. She rejects comparisons between animal agriculture and slavery, urging solidarity against shared systems of objectification.

What is "afro-zoological" activism?

This framework combines Black liberation and animal rights, recognizing both as casualties of white supremacy’s animality project. It moves beyond superficial analogies to address root causes of exploitation.

How does the book’s approach differ from other anti-racism works?

Unlike many anti-racism texts, Ko centers nonhuman animals as primary targets of racial capitalism and critiques single-issue activism. Her focus on colonial spirituality and consumption offers a unique decolonial perspective.

What criticisms has Racism as Zoological Witchcraft received?

Some scholars note Ko’s dense theoretical style may challenge casual readers. Others debate her rejection of intersectionality, though many praise her innovative linking of racial and animal justice.

Why is this book relevant in 2025?

As debates about racial capitalism, vegan ethics, and decolonization intensify, Ko’s work provides critical tools to address interconnected oppressions. Its insights resonate amid ongoing movements for environmental and social justice.