Melanie Joy, PhD, is a psychologist, international speaker, and social justice advocate. She is the award-winning author of seven books.
Melanie Joy, PhD, is a psychologist specializing in the psychology of oppression, social transformation, and relationships. A longtime advocate for justice, she was a lecturer at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, for 11 years, where she taught courses on privilege and oppression, feminist psychology, psychological trauma, and animal rights. Her work has helped explain why individuals and institutions engage in behaviors that harm other people, animals, the planet, and themselves—and how to change this pattern.
Her goal is to create a world where people interact in more caring and connected ways. She believes that both internal (psychological) and external (social) barriers prevent us from acting in our own and othersʼ best interests. By raising awareness of these barriers, Joy aims to help people think more freely, act with compassion, build better relationships, and contribute to a fairer, more sustainable world.
Joy is the award-winning author of seven books, including the bestselling Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, Getting Relationships Right, and How to End Injustice Everywhere. Her work has been highlighted by major media outlets like the New York Times, BBC, NPR, and ABC Australia.
Joy has received prestigious awards for her efforts in promoting nonviolence, including the Ahimsa Award, which has also been given to leaders like the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela.
She is also an internationally recognized speaker and trainer who has presented her work in 50 countries across six continents. She is the founder and president of the international organization Beyond Carnism.
Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Joy lives in Berlin, Germany, with her husband, Sebastian Joy.
Dr. Melanie Joyʼs How to End Injustice Everywhere is not just another social justice book. It's a tapestry woven with the threads of interconnectedness, revealing the common denominators driving oppression across various systems. Building on her expertise in Carnism, Joy expands her lens to encompass a broader spectrum of injustice, making this book a beacon for every advocate, activist, and changemaker.
Have you ever wondered why you want to pet your cat, but the idea of grilling Tibbles and eating her in a brioche bun with a few lettuce leaves and relish turns your stomach? And why if Tibbles were a cow, she’d already be dead in your fridge and destined for your dinner plate?
When we can bear witness in a way that enables us to stay psychologically and emotionally safe, we can shift from being passive bystanders to active agents of change.
In 1989, the social psychologist Melanie Joy became a vegetarian almost by accident. She ate a hamburger and became so ill that she couldn’t stomach the idea of eating meat again. So she set about learning new ways to cook for a meatless diet, reading cookbooks and doing research. In the process, she started to learn about the suffering of non-human animals, the suffering of workers on factory farms, and the environmental toll exacted by animal agriculture. This new knowledge shocked her.
In this powerful book, psychologist Melanie Joy uncovers the shared mindset behind all forms of injustice. The way we harm and exploit people is connected to how we treat animals, the environment, and even those within our own groups who fight for justice.
How to End Injustice Everywhere explores how unjust systems and behaviors work. It also provides practical advice on how to understand these systems, reduce conflicts within justice movements, and create stronger, more effective efforts for change.
Relationships can be tricky. It’s surprising that while most of us have to learn complex subjects like geometry, which we might never use, we don’t get any formal lessons on how to relate to others. In this helpful guide, psychologist Melanie Joy explains the common psychological patterns that affect all types of relationships—whether with a romantic partner, friends, family, or coworkers. By understanding these patterns, you can make your relationships healthier and stronger.
Joy compares relationships to the human body: they get “sick” when their immune system is weaker than the stressors affecting them. Using the latest research and her own experience as a psychologist, Joy shows how to build a strong “relational immune system” that can handle not just personal conflicts but also hidden societal pressures like racism and sexism. By understanding this, you can create relationships that reflect core values and respect everyone involved. Healthy and resilient relationships not only bring happiness and fulfillment but also help the organizations and communities we belong to thrive.
Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows is a fascinating book by social psychologist Melanie Joy that explores a concept she calls “carnism.” This belief system makes us think itʼs normal to eat certain animals, even though we would never consider eating others. Carnism leads to widespread animal suffering and global injustice, and it often makes us act in ways that arenʼt good for ourselves or others, even if we don't realize it. Understanding what carnism is and how it works is important because it helps us make more informed and free choices about the food we eat.
Vegans, vegetarians, and meat eaters can sometimes feel like theyʼre living in completely different worlds. Many vegans and vegetarians often feel misunderstood and not respected in a society where eating meat is the norm. Their most cherished concerns and beliefs can be overlooked, and when they try to discuss them, they might face defensive reactions. This can lead to frustration and difficulty in connecting with meat eaters. On the other hand, meat eaters might feel distant from vegans and vegetarians because they don’t fully understand their beliefs, and the frustration of vegans and vegetarians might affect their interactions.
The good news is that the communication and relationship issues between vegans, vegetarians, and meat eaters don’t have to stay this way—they can be fixed. With the right tools, it’s possible to build, repair, and even strengthen healthy connections among people with different dietary choices.
The Vegan Matrix is a short guidebook that helps vegans and vegan organizations understand and talk about privilege, especially after the #MeToo movement. It covers how to create accountability while respecting everyone’s dignity and how to communicate effectively about these issues.
In this book, Dr. Melanie Joy, a psychologist and longtime vegan advocate, addresses a significant problem in the vegan movement—unrecognized privilege—and the difficulty of discussing it in a way that leads to positive change. Using simple and clear language, Joy explains what privilege is, why it’s crucial for vegans to be aware of it, and how to talk about it in a way that fosters understanding and transformation. She also highlights various types of privilege that need to be acknowledged and dealt with, and shows how increasing inclusivity and diversity within vegan organizations can strengthen the movement as a whole. The Vegan Matrix encourages vegans to become more aware and take action, helping to create a more compassionate and just world by reaching a wider audience.
Melanie Joy’s work applies to much more than how we eat: It’s a lens for thinking about all the systems we’re so deeply embedded in that we can no longer see them, and so we learn not to notice if they compel us to do things that don’t align with what we believe to be right, or who we actually want to be.
Sentientist Conversations is a podcast that addresses two most important questions: “What’s real?” and “What matters?” Sentientism is “evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.”
This man is eating a golden retriever burger, with cheese made from horse’s milk on a bun glazed with canary’s eggs. #CatchOnToCarnism
According to a psychologist, what two words can you say to a vegan that can change everything? Watch to understand how to talk about carnism, veganism, and eating animals using effective communication. You can reduce defensiveness and avoid arguments and conflicts, and instead have productive conversations—whether you’re a vegan or nonvegan, whether you eat meat, eggs, and dairy or you don’t eat any animals.
In the season two finale of Just Beings, hosts Evanna Lynch and Melanie Joy talk about their experiences trying to change the food system, share lessons they’ve learned from this season’s amazing guests, and discuss what gives them hope for the future.
They also talk about the projects they’re working on, how they make time to slow down and be present, and the problems caused by infighting in social justice movements. Evanna even shares her thoughts on the controversies surrounding the Harry Potter franchise.
How vulnerability, integrity, and pride are crucial to relating to those around you as well as to choosing yourself with Dr. Melanie Joy, Harvard-educated psychologist and award-winning author of six books, including Getting Relationships Right: How to Build Resilience and Thrive in Life, Love, and Work.
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