Melanie Joy

Melanie Joy (born September 2, 1966) is a social psychologist and advocate for veganism and animal liberation . She is the author of Strategic Action for Animals (2008), in which she discusses effective animal liberation advocacy, and Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism (2010) , in which she discusses the term "carnism", the belief system that allows people to chose which animals they will and will not eat. Dr. Joy holds a Ph.D. in psychology from Saybrook Graduate School, a master’s degree (Ed.M.) in teaching and curriculum from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a B.A. from the Harvard University Extension School. She is a part-time lecturer in Psychological Trauma, Addictions, Family Dynamics, and Animal Rights at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. She has also taught in the graduate program at the Institute for Humane Education.