Document type : Podcast of La Terre au Carré
Authors : Mathieu Vidard, guest : Romain Espinosa
Preview: There is increasing interest among economists in the place of animals in society and this has become a new field of research in its own right.
"Economics of the Animal Condition" looks at the world that exists at the interface between economics and the animal condition. Romain Espinosa examines the conditions in which animals live in France today and how we can help them. He also analyses current obstacles to the improvement of animal welfare and how we can act to remove some of these obstacles. He looks at what can be done to help animals. Economics is special because it is primarily concerned with improving society. There are currently a number of theories that consider the obstacles to improving the condition of animals in France today, including the concept of cognitive dissonance, and the theory of the public good. These sit alongside economic concepts such as social welfare, utility, and willingness to pay.