Siobhan O'Sullivan

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Siobhan O'Sullivan (19 March 1974 – 17 June 2023) was an Australian political scientist and political theorist who taught at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). Her work focused on animal welfare and the welfare state, and she helped shape a movement in which animal ethics is explored through political theory.

Life and career
O'Sullivan earned her PhD in government and international relations at the University of Sydney in 2008. Her thesis, Animal Visibility and Equality in Liberal Democratic States, looked at how the visibility of animals affects their protection under the law. She spent several years as a research fellow at the University of Melbourne before moving to UNSW as a lecturer in social policy. Her research spanned welfare policy, contracted employment services, and animal welfare.

Key works and influence
Her 2011 book, Animals, Equality and Democracy, argues that animals are not protected equally by the law; more visible animals often receive greater protection. She was a leading figure in the “political turn” in animal ethics, a shift that applies political theory to animal rights and protection. She edited The Political Turn in Animal Ethics (2016) with Robert Garner and contributed to numerous other volumes.

O'Sullivan also coauthored Getting Welfare to Work (2015) with Mark Considine, Jenny Lewis, and Els Sol, and published Buying and Selling the Poor (2021) with Michael McGann and Mark Considine. She edited Contracting-out Welfare Services (2015) and The Political Turn in Animal Ethics (2016). In addition to her writing, she founded and hosted the animal studies podcast Knowing Animals and helped establish the Australasian Animal Studies Association.

Personal life and illness
In August 2020, O'Sullivan was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She became a spokesperson for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation and publicly supported debates about assisted dying in New South Wales. She passed away on 17 June 2023 at the age of 49.

Legacy
O'Sullivan’s work bridged political theory and animal ethics, challenging how society protects animals and arguing for consistent liberal principles. Her books, podcasts, and leadership in the field left a lasting impact on academic discussions and public policy related to animals and welfare in Australia and beyond.