Melanie Joy (born September 2, 1966) is an American social psychologist and author, primarily notable for promulgating the term carnism. She is the President of Beyond Carnism, previously known as Carnism Awareness & Action Network (CAAN), a non-profit advocacy group which she founded in 2010, as well as the former professor of psychology and sociology at the University of Massachusetts Boston . She has published the books Strategic Action for Animals, Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows and Beyond Beliefs.