I am a Ramón y Cajal Tenure-Track Professor at the Law & Philosophy Group of Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona. I am also a board member of the UPF-Centre for Animal Ethics, a think tank dedicated to the promotion of the full consideration of nonhuman animals in all areas of public life.
I was previously an FCT Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Ethics, Politics and Society of the University of Minho (Braga, Portugal). Before that I was employed as a Beatriu de Pinós Postdoctoral Fellow and teacher in legal philosophy at Pompeu Fabra University’s Law Department. I earned my Ph.D. in Moral Philosophy at Pompeu Fabra University in 2014, where I also obtained my Bachelor’s (2007) and Master’s (2008) degrees in Law.
My current research focuses on our reasons to alleviate wild animal suffering and on developing a neorepublican approach to the political status of nonhuman animals. Neorepublicanism understands freedom as immunity from domination. Animals should enjoy that freedom as our fellow citizens. Though I think it is best if we pursue freedom as nondomination in the political realm, I agree with utilitarians that what matters, in an ultimate or fundamental sense, is that sentient beings enjoy the happiest possible lives. The overwhelming majority of sentient individuals are wild animals, who likely have lives full of suffering due to natural events. I believe we have a duty to help them. You can learn more about my views here.
I also advocate for the full ethical and political consideration of animals outside academia. For many years I was a spokesperson for Animal Ethics, a non-profit aligned with the values of effective altruism. I now frequently collaborate with grassroots activists in Catalonia. I strongly believe in the need to engage in politics in order to create a better world for all sentient beings, including nonhuman animals.