Document type: training announcement published by SciencesCONF
Author: SciencesCONF
Preview: The Hubert Curien Multidisciplinary Institute (IPHC, UMR 7178) and the Center for International and European Studies (CEIE) are hosting a three-day seminar on animal law and a one-day seminar on ethology as applied to law and ethics in Strasbourg. These seminars are open to the public. They will take place from Tuesday, January 12, through Friday, January 15, 2027.
By the end of these sessions, participants will have a thorough understanding of and mastery over the laws applicable to animals, enabling them to: devise conditions for more effective protection of animals—sentient beings used for food, scientific, recreational, or other purposes; to effectively help and assist all individuals directly or indirectly involved with animals, as well as those whose professional roles involve enforcing regulations, advising, or defending those required to comply with them; to gain a deeper understanding of animals and their environment in order to propose appropriate regulations.
The first three days will cover the entire field: the history and development of animal law, the definition of animals and their sentience, the legal status of animals in France and recent developments, and animals living in the wild; followed by comparative, European, and international law, religious traditions and practices, the use of animals in scientific research, and the constitutional protection of animals; and finally, companion animals, animals in captivity (circuses, dolphinariums, and zoos), animals in the food chain, and the patentability of living organisms. The session on ethology applied to law and ethics—an introduction to animal ethics, animal consciousness, ontologies, and anthropomorphism, as well as animal welfare—will provide a better understanding of the differences in sensitivity, perception, and intelligence among animals.
These sessions will also provide an opportunity to reflect on the legal status of animals. Can we recognize great apes as “non-human persons”? Can we do the same for a worm or an ant? Where is the line drawn? For example, we will discuss the distinction between sensitivity and sentience, the latter implying a minimum level of consciousness. Linking ethology and law in this way will allow us to reflect on the place of animals in our legal system. Coffee breaks featuring poster sessions will take place each afternoon, and the days will conclude with coffee.
To register, please follow this link:
https://dr10.azur-colloque.fr/inscription/fr/119/inscription
