Episode 47: What happens when a researcher takes animal communication seriously with Viktoria Hinz

In this episode, we’re joined by Viktoria Hinz (soon to be Dr. Viktoria Hinz!), a researcher whose work explores the lived experiences of intuitive interspecies communication (IIC) and what it might teach us about our relationships with animals.Originally from Germany with a background in conservation and environmental studies, Viktoria recently completed her PhD at the University of Saskatchewan, where she examined how animal communicators experience and make sense of intuitive communication with animals. Her research offers an important contribution to an emerging field, bridging academic inquiry with experiences that have often been overlooked or misunderstood.Together, we explore:What intuitive interspecies communication (IIC) isWhat inspired Viktoria to pursue this researchThe stories and insights shared by animal communicatorsThe challenges of studying a controversial topic within academiaHow this work has shaped Viktoria personallyWhat her findings could mean for conservation, ethics, and human–animal relationshipsWhere she hopes the field of IIC is headed nextTo learn more about Viktoria's work, see:Link to the dissertation: https://hdl.handle.net/10388/18368Link to the journal article (based on dissertation chapter 3; library access or payment necessary to read full article): https://doi.org/10.1108/JOE-05-2024-0021Link to the full pre-print version of the journal article (free access): https://hdl.handle.net/10388/18305Here is also the link to Dušan Janak's study on the social validity of animal communicators' reports (open access): https://brill.com/view/journals/soan/aop/article-10.1163-15685306-bja10260/article-10.1163-15685306-bja10260.xml