In this episode, we hear from Just Wondering, a collective of three individuals based in Eastern Europe. M, Mina and Aron. They make animated videos which they describe as “inescapably political and speculative”. I picked some of the video that had really piqued my interest - an impossible choice really, as the topics covered by Just Wondering cover so much ground, from Tim Morton’s hyperobjects to Sunaura Taylor’s disability liberation approach. A liberation movement must change the narrative a...
Sep 25, 2021•1 hr 3 min
Episode 34. In this episode, we hear from Jemma, about her concept of radical animism and book of the same name. We begin with Jemma’s current studies of fungi and what we humans can learn from it. Jemma then expands on some of the themes of Radical Animism – including the 4 blows to human narcissism, the agency of the anthropocene, the evolution of language, and the animism of literature, including how texts like Alice in Wonderland can challenge and bring fresh light to our expectations of non...
Jul 05, 2021•55 min
Episode 33. In this episode, we hear from Rebecca, whose research at Lancaster University takes a closer look at the meat paradox. Rebecca explains some of the psychological mechanisms people use to justify their meat eating. Rebecca’s research investigates meat reduction strategies and highlights the importance of social support for people going vegan, as well as digging deeper into anti-vegan attitudes.
Jun 11, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Episode 32. In this episode, we hear from Fernando. Fernando explains some of the difficulties of pushing animal rights activism forward in Colombia. Issues around land ownership, a history of colonialism, war, poverty and trauma interconnect to create a challenging landscape. In a country where cattle ranchers, politicians and paramilitaries often work together to protect their interests, animal rights activism can be a dangerous calling. Fernando also explains some of the complications around ...
Mar 18, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Episode 31. In this episode, we hear from Marc. Marc explains how the animal liberation movement can become more accessible to and benefit from neurodiversity. He expands on some of the obstacles neurodivergent people are presented with by our ableist society and how activists can support and learn from each other in organising spaces. We also discuss some of the issues around white saviourism, burnout culture, graphic slaughter footage and publicity stunts. Marc also encourages men to take acti...
Feb 28, 2021•1 hr 45 min
Episode 30. In this episode, we hear from Dr. Iyan Offor. Iyan’s article “Second Wave Animal Ethics” proposes a move away from the rights-based liberal tradition of animal ethics that focuses heavily on nonhuman sentience and similarity. Iyan thinks the animal liberation movement is at a stage where, looking inwards, we can reflect, explore and experiment with theories from the margins. An intersectional, posthumanist approach which builds stronger links with the environmental movement has much ...
Feb 17, 2021•1 hr 12 min
Episode 29. In this episode, we hear from Dr. Michelle Westerlaken. Michelle explains her concept of multispecies-isms or multispecies worlding – a response to speciesism that looks for traces of how we humans interact with other species in our everyday lives, so as to imagine how relationships might take place in a non-speciesist future. Michelle’s work draws in strands from a range of disciplines, including interaction design, posthumanism and indigenous ways of knowing. Michelle finds the eth...
Jan 23, 2021•1 hr 9 min
Episode 28. In this episode, we hear from Maythe, whose studies in multispecies kinship focus on the relationships humans have with dogs. Maythe shares information about an ethnographic study of dog lovers who perpetuate racism, particularly with regard to events around 2020’s Black Lives Matter protests in the UK. This leads to questions about the links between white supremacy and human supremacy. Maythe also considers the ethic of care to be a compelling avenue worth exploring. While studying,...
Jan 17, 2021•50 min
Episode 27. In this episode, we hear from Vallary. Vallary shares her experiences of mainstream vegan activism - both how she came into the movement and how she broke away from it. Vallary challenged the dominant narrative within the movement, sometimes directly with the organisations she saw as problematic. She calls instead for an anti-colonial approach which focuses on grassroots, local activism. Vallary’s personal journey has led her to a place where self-care and empathy are prioritised, as...
Nov 25, 2020•1 hr 49 min
Episode 26. In this episode, we hear from India, who explains some of the ideas and aims behind the Vegan Rainbow Project. We hear about the importance of building an inclusive vegan movement which explores the interconnections of oppression and builds alliances with other social justice movements. India also shares her thoughts on feminist theory within anti-speciesist discourse and some of the benefits and challenges of grassroots community building.
Nov 02, 2020•46 min
Episode 25. In this episode, we hear from Shakira about the importance of providing nonhuman animal care during and after rescue and liberation. Shakira calls for more work to be done in the vegan community, so that more humans feel empowered to become involved in this aspect of liberation. Nonhuman animal care is itself a form of activism. Shakira also explains some of the issues that contribute to the oppression of nonhumans kept as companion animals, particularly dogs designated by law as “da...
Oct 19, 2020•48 min
Episode 24. In this episode, we hear from Dr. Catherine Oliver. Catherine’s studies in vegan geographies have led her to explore how and why people take up veganism, and how for the majority of them, veganism is a politics that is felt, emotionally and physically, and lived and performed. This embodied politics contrasts with the simplistic sound bites of social media influencer-activists. We also hear about Catherine’s study of Richard Ryder’s work, and how a group of men including Tom Regan an...
Oct 13, 2020•1 hr 20 min
Episode 23. In this episode, we hear from Aiyana. Aiyana explains the concept behind the Anti-Speciesist Arts Collective, as well as how true freedom can be found through what she terms “uncaged art”. Aiyana also shares her thoughts on how we can take care of ourselves and each other through collective care as we navigate our way through conformist, capitalist society. Reclaiming animality and breaking binaries are also key to unlocking true liberation.
Oct 06, 2020•53 min
Episode 22. In this episode, we hear from Jo. Jo uses a systems thinking approach to climate justice, which helps to identify the impact of individual and systems change. Jo picks up on some of the problems with the mainstream environmental movement, calling for it to centre social justice and inclusion. Jo shares some thoughts about the situation of climate refugees and the rise of eco-fascism. Jo also explains how imagination and futurism can be harnessed to envision and empower our communitie...
Oct 01, 2020•57 min
Episode 21. In this episode we hear from Elliott. Based in London (UK), Elliot rescues non-human animals that need assistance. He tells us about some of the complications and challenges, but also successes of rescuing and liberation. Elliott explains the importance of getting to know non-human animals as individuals, de-centring humans in the struggle for animal liberation and sharing stories of animal agency and resistance. We also hear of Elliott's vision for creating sanctuary and how this co...
Sep 19, 2020•1 hr 12 min
Season 1, Episode 20. This is the last episode of Season 1. In this episode, we hear the voices of black people, past and present. Akala, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, George the Poet, Kyla Lacey, Angela Davis, Toni Morrison.
Jun 14, 2020•37 min
Season 1, Episode 19. In this episode, we hear from Pinar. Pinar is a young anti oppression activist based in Toronto. She’s involved with the climate justice movement and a local grassroots animal liberation group. She tells us about some of the challenges of youth activism, from the impact on mental health to ageism. But also, the hopefulness that can be found in activism too. Pinar’s dreams of a better world for everyone motivate her to keep going.
Jun 03, 2020•27 min
Season 1, Episode 18. In this episode, we hear from Iye. Iye speaks about the benefits of stepping away from the mainstream vegan movement. Instead, she focuses on local activism in her community, mainly with Plant the Power 614. Iye explains how a focus on the health aspects of veganism and food accessibility doesn’t necessarily mean compromising on animal ethics. She also sees a need for more exposure of the voices of black, indigenous, people of colour, for the movement to really move forward...
May 25, 2020•54 min
Season 1, Episode 17. In this episode, we hear from lauren, from the Food Empowerment Project. lauren explains how food justice is central to FEP’s advocacy for social justice for both human and nonhuman animals. We hear about some of the initiatives taking place, including the chocolate list – and how a plantbased diet doesn’t necessarily equal an ethical one. We also hear from lauren about the importance of a decolonial approach to understanding diets and how chapter-based activist groups can ...
May 10, 2020•41 min
Season 1, Episode 16. In this episode, we hear from Oz and Keith, also known as Lonely Vegan. We consider the effectiveness of sharing undercover investigation footage on social media, as well as the emotional cost, which can lead to burnout. We hear about the corruption of farm industry regulators, issues with the activist identity, and how anger can be a motivating factor but also a detriment to activism. We reflect on the current state of the movement and the importance of knowing the history...
May 03, 2020•1 hr 1 min
Season 1, Episode 15. In this episode, we hear from Solarpunk Anarchist. He provides an introduction to solarpunk, a science fiction genre that sprang up around 2010, which imagines a hopeful future for all. He expands on the links between solarpunk and anarchism, in particular social ecology, which seems to mirror the ideals of solarpunk. Solarpunk Anarchist explains some of the practical steps that might be taken to create a solarpunk world and how this niche genre might inform our social just...
Apr 27, 2020•44 min
Season 1, Episode 14. In this episode, we hear from Giulia, who is based in Italy and part of the anti-speciesist collective, Insectionals. We hear from Giulia about the need for direct action but also for effective public education; some of the issues around humans being centred in the movement; the importance of anti-speciesist language, and a need for a closer look at the theory and approaches often used in the animal rights movement.
Apr 19, 2020•55 min
Season 1, Episode, 13. In this episode, we hear from Jamie. Jamie advocates for human and nonhuman animal rights using the philosophy of sentientism as an ethical grounding. Sentientism uses evidence and reason to inform our moral decision making. Jamie explains how anti-speciesism and sentientism can be combined, but how this can also be problematic for some anti-speciesist activists. He also digs deeper into some of the questions posted by sentientism, in relation to veganism, environmentalism...
Apr 14, 2020•55 min
Season 1, Episode 12. In this episode, we hear from Camila. Based in Argentina, Camila explains why mainstream vegan advocacy doesn’t work there. She speaks about the need for a new approach, rooted in institutional education and tailored for the specific challenges of the region. Camila is also learning about feminism, and considers how this links to anti speciesist activism.
Apr 08, 2020•1 hr 4 min
Season 1, Episode 11. In this episode, we hear from Danny. Danny tells us about his journey from the far right of the political spectrum to his current post left, anarchist position. He explains the basics of anarchism and the importance of direct action, along with some history of these in the animal liberation movement. Danny also covers security culture and shares his thoughts on the celebrity culture within the vegan social movement.
Mar 30, 2020•1 hr 1 min
Season 1, Episode 10. In this episode, we hear from Isa. Based near Kuala Lumpur, Isa’s activism has a strong focus on food justice and anarchism. We hear about his involvement with Food Not Bombs and DIY activism like chalking and graffiti. Isa also tells us how his experience in chef school and the music scene, and a health issue, led him to explore veganism.
Mar 24, 2020•45 min
Season 1, Episode 9. In this episode, we hear from Justin. Justin speaks to us about the advocacy work of Triangle Chicken Advocates and the Microsanctuary Resource Center. They explain that sanctuary can be offered at any scale. By bringing nonhumans into our homes, we are able to deepen our understanding of them as individuals. This opens up a range of possibilities for activism and education, and leads us towards a deeper engagement with vegan practice. We also hear about some of the challeng...
Mar 15, 2020•46 min
Season 1, Episode 8. In this episode, we hear from Connie. Connie is a founding member of the Agriculture Fairness Alliance and Vegan Justice League, based in the US. She speaks about the need for vegans to get political, and direct much needed resources into lobbying for system change. Connie explains how the supply and demand rhetoric of the vegan movement fails within a food system rigged by government and the industry, resulting in overproduction and stockpiling. Human and nonhuman animal is...
Mar 07, 2020•1 hr 4 min
Season 1, Episode 7. In this episode, we hear from Gizzie. Gizzie hosts the Scum Remover podcast, which focuses on hunt sabotage. He’s also been sabbing for years and we hear about some of the history of sabbing, as well as getting an insight into how the UK hunts work. Gizzie covers the basics of how to sab and the strengths of non hierarchical organising. We also hear what the future of hunting and hunt sabbing might look like.
Mar 01, 2020•1 hr 5 min
Season 1, Episode 6. In this episode, we hear from Elisabeth. Elisabeth’s activism has a focus on research and working with nonhuman animals from the wild. She has worked extensively with conservation groups and we hear from her about the complexities of conservation work, most of which doesn’t take an anti-speciesist approach. We learn that ethics can sometimes be a grey area, which leaves questions unanswered. Activists and the movement as a whole need to consider carefully how we care for non...
Feb 23, 2020•57 min
