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Animal Welfare, National Identity and Social Change: Attitudes and Opinions of Spanish Citizens Towards Bullfighting

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Abstract

Traditionally, in Spain bullfighting represents an ancient and well-respected tradition and a combined brand of sport, art and national identity. However, bullfighting has received considerable criticism from various segments of society, with the concomitant rise of the animal rights movement. The paper reports a survey of the Spanish citizens using a face-to-face survey during January 2016 with a total sample of 2522 citizens (1256 men and 1266 women). The survey asked about degree of liking and approving; culture, art and national identity; socio-economic aspects; emotional perception and animal welfare. The hypothesis proposed that the perception of bullfights may be affected by gender, age, occupation, origin and nationality of the persons surveyed. The hypothesis was confirmed. The majority of citizens surveyed do not like bullfights and great majorities do not attend or watch such events. Two extreme clusters were described: one representing favorable attitude towards bullfighting and other against bullfighting. The proportion of indifferent persons was important. Women and young people showed a more favorable attitude towards animal welfare issues associated with these events. Rural people were more accepting bullfights than urban people. Students were more anti-bullfight than those in other occupations. Additionally, technical economic factors made people favor more bullfights. The growth of claim against bullfights establishes an element of a far more multifaceted phenomenon that animal cruelty per se and support of a new paradigm called social change in countries as Spain.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to acknowledge the people who answered the questionnaire. We acknowledge Proof-Reading-Service, Julie Cohen and Morris Villarroel-Robinson for the English revision of the manuscript, as well as the former vet practitioner of the Zaragoza bullfighting arena, Dr. DVM J. M. Blasco, for his valuable counseling on BF and for his broadmindedness.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Production and Food Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Saragossa, Spain

    Gustavo A. María & Genaro C. Miranda de la Lama

  2. Department of Didactics of Experimental Science, University of Zaragoza, Saragossa, Spain

    Beatriz Mazas

  3. Personal and Professional Development Group, University of Zaragoza, Saragossa, Spain

    Francisco J. Zarza

  4. Laboratory of Sustainable Livestock Production, Department of Food Science, Metropolitan Autonomous University, Lerma, State of Mexico, Mexico

    Genaro C. Miranda de la Lama

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  1. Gustavo A. María
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  2. Beatriz Mazas
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  4. Genaro C. Miranda de la Lama
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Correspondence to Genaro C. Miranda de la Lama.

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María, G.A., Mazas, B., Zarza, F.J. et al. Animal Welfare, National Identity and Social Change: Attitudes and Opinions of Spanish Citizens Towards Bullfighting. J Agric Environ Ethics 30, 809–826 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-017-9700-9

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