Book 'Petifilia' looks at pets in past and modern society and Pawel Pawlikowski's film, 'Ida'

DePaul International Studies professor, Heidi Nast, is author of the forthcoming book, Petifilia, the book focuses on in part, how neoliberalism has impacted nations and their relationship to their pets, e.g. opening of markets, including pet markets, countries opening up to the western habits and traditions. Petifilia will examine how pets have replaced people and children for many families in industrialized countries, like in Japan where they sell dog diapers. Nast’s specialties include, Critical pet studies and Animal-human relations.

Jerome McDonnell and WBEZ Film Contributor, Milos Stehlik, of Facets Multi-media talk with Polish director Paweł Pawlikowski about his new film “Ida”. Milos calls the film "Extraordinary". Ida is "about a young novitiate nun in 1960s Poland who, on the verge of taking her vows, discovers a dark family secret dating from the terrible years of the Nazi occupation."

PHOTO: In this May 13, 2011 photo, animal medication is seen at the Forest Avenue Veterinarian Hospital, in Portland, Maine. Just as in human health care, generic drugs are becoming a way to save costs. Sales of pet generics have doubled over the past year, according to a Portland-based company that makes generics for pets. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)