Cité naturelle et régimes de justification dans l’Anthropocène. Une analyse à partir de la controverse sur les animaux dans les cirques

The term "Anthropocene" is used to refer to the most recent period in Earth's history, evoking humanity's share of responsibility for the planet's transformations and calling into question the legitimacy of certain human activities. In this context, we study the arguments used during a controversy about the presence of wild animals in French circuses. The "order of worth" theory sheds light on a type of justification stemming from a non-anthropocentric discourse, according to which nature must be preserved for its own sake. This "natural order of worth" enables actors to criticize certain human activities and their impact on the Earth system.