Protests are a frequently used intervention in animal advocacy. We estimate that between 40 and 80 animal advocacy protests occur each week in the U.S. alone. Despite their prevalence, the purpose and effects of protests are poorly understood. One common misconception is that protests are intended to change public opinion; … Read more
We are Discontinuing our Social Movement Project
Introduction
In 2014, we began to pilot a long-term social movement analysis project. The goal of the project was to supplement our animal advocacy research by compiling information about other social movements. We gradually released four case studies of other movements: the children’s rights movement, … Read more
Common Misconceptions of Effective Animal Advocacy
Effective animal advocates (EAAs) are members of the effective altruism movement. They use reason and evidence to identify the most effective ways to help animals, and they act on that evidence.
A central component of EAA is the willingness to revise one’s views in light of new evidence. … Read more
ACE Highlight: Our Use of Cost-Effectiveness Estimates
Introduction
ACE employs both qualitative and quantitative strategies in our work to identify highly effective ways to help animals. One way that we evaluate interventions or charities quantitatively is by assigning numerical values to their immediate costs and benefits. We then use those values to calculate a cost-effectiveness estimate (CEE) in terms of “lives spared per dollar” or “years of suffering averted per dollar.”1 These estimates allow us to directly compare different interventions and charities, … Read more
ACE Highlight: The Philosophical Foundation of Our Work
We recently published a page outlining ACE’s philosophical commitments, which, when taken together, form the foundation of our work. In addition to explaining our commitments, we also explain that we are not committed to certain controversial views that are sometimes attributed to us. … Read more