The Formation of Equine Power Structures as a Political Process

---

Kristopher Stroup.
Dr. Charlie Apter and Dr. Kevin Minch (Language and Literature), Faculty Mentors.
Selected for presentation at the Phi Kappa Phi Interdisciplinary Session.

---

Historically, the disciplines of political science and equine science, or even sociology and biology, have been viewed as dichotomous and unrelated, especially when similar concepts or unifying principles are examined across species boundaries. This presentation argues that in fact a significant overlap exists, particularly when comparing hierarchical social structures within feral equine herds and human societal units. Similarities in human and equine social groupings are noted and placed within a conceptual framework to which political science models may be applied across species boundaries. An initial foray into a Weberian analysis of legitimation in equine social groupings is also made.