About Kyle Johannsen

I’m an academic philosopher who does research in animal and environmental ethics, and in political philosophy. I’m currently a Sessional Faculty Member in the Department of Philosophy at Trent University, and I’m a member of the Animals in Philosophy, Politics, Law, and Ethics (A.P.P.L.E.) research group at Queen's University. My most recent academic book – Wild Animal Ethics: The Moral and Political Problem of Wild Animal Suffering (Routledge) – attracted enough attention that I was invited to do some interviews: I appeared on the New Books in Philosophy, Knowing Animals, Sentientism, and Herbivorize Predators podcasts; and I was interviewed on the Canadian news show Forum Daily. I'm mainly interested in interviewing authors of animal studies books, especially animal studies books connected to philosophy, effective altruism, environmental studies, or political science. I'm also interested in interviewing authors of literary books that explore animal studies themes.

Kyle Johannsen is an academic philosopher who does research in animal and environmental ethics, and in political philosophy. His most recent book is Wild Animal Ethics: The Moral and Political Problem of Wild Animal Suffering (Routledge, 2021). His personal website is here.

Kyle's website

NBN Episodes hosted by Kyle:

Dinesh Wadiwel, "Animals and Capital" (Edinburgh UP, 2023)

March 19, 2024

Animals and Capital

Dinesh Wadiwel
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

In the 20th century, capitalist animal agriculture emerged with a twofold mission: to ruthlessly exploit animals for their labour time and enlarge hum…

Melanie Joy, "How to End Injustice Everywhere: Understanding the Common Denominator Driving All Injustices, to Create a Better World for Humans, Animals, and the Planet" (Lantern, 2023)

January 8, 2024

How to End Injustice Everywhere

Melanie Joy
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

In this eye-opening and compelling work, psychologist Melanie Joy reveals the common denominator driving all forms of injustice. The mentality that dr…

Kendra Coulter, "Defending Animals: Finding Hope on the Front Lines of Animal Protection" (MIT Press, 2023)

October 8, 2023

Defending Animals

Kendra Coulter
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

Beloved dogs and cats. Magnificent horses and mountain gorillas. Curious chickens. What do we actually do to protect animals from harm—and is it enoug…

Arin Greenwood, "Your Robot Dog Will Die" (Soho, 2019)

July 31, 2023

Your Robot Dog Will Die

Arin Greenwood
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen
Listen:

Today I talked to Arin Greenwood about her new book Your Robot Dog Will Die (Soho, 2019). When a global genetic experiment goes awry and canines stop…

Josh Milburn, "Food, Justice, and Animals: Feeding the World Respectfully" (Oxford UP, 2023)

June 15, 2023

Food, Justice, and Animals

Josh Milburn
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen
Listen:

How would we eat if animals had rights? A standard assumption is that our food systems would be plant-based. But maybe we should reject this assumptio…

Rachel Robison-Greene, "Edibility and in Vitro Meat: Ethical Considerations" (Lexington Books, 2022)

April 21, 2023

Edibility and in Vitro Meat

Rachel Robison-Greene
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

Consumers and policy makers have unprecedented choices to make in the years to come about how and what we eat. If we continue down our current path of…

Brian Kateman, "Meat Me Halfway" (Prometheus Books, 2022)

April 12, 2023

Meat Me Halfway

Brian Kateman
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

We know that eating animals is bad for the planet and bad for our health, and yet we do it anyway. Ask anyone in the plant-based movement and the solu…

Talia Lakshmi Kolluri, "What We Fed to the Manticore" (Tin House Books, 2022)

March 4, 2023

What We Fed to the Manticore

Talia Lakshmi Kolluri
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

Through nine emotionally vivid stories, all narrated from animal perspectives, Talia Lakshmi Kolluri’s debut collection explores themes of environment…

Corey Lee Wrenn, "Animals in Irish Society: Interspecies Oppression and Vegan Liberation in Britain's First Colony" (SUNY Press, 2021)

January 28, 2023

Animals in Irish Society

Corey Lee Wrenn
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

Irish vegan studies are poised for increasing relevance as climate change threatens the legitimacy and longevity of animal agriculture and widespread …

Melanie Joy, "The Vegan Matrix: Understanding and Discussing Privilege Among Vegans to Build a More Inclusive and Empowered Movement" (Lantern, 2020)

December 2, 2022

The Vegan Matrix

Melanie Joy
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

A short guidebook to understanding and discussing privilege among vegans and vegan organizations in the wake of #metoo, including how to establish acc…

Laura Jean McKay, "The Animals in that Country" (Scribe US, 2022)

November 18, 2022

The Animals in that Country

Laura Jean McKay
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Laura Jean McKay about her award-winning novel The Animals in that Country (Scribe US, 2020). Hard-drinking, foul-mout…

Joshua Duclos, "Wilderness, Morality, and Value" (Lexington Books, 2022)

September 26, 2022

Wilderness, Morality, and Value

Joshua Duclos
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

What if wilderness is bad for wildlife? This question motivates the philosophical investigation in Wilderness, Morality, and Value (Lexington Books, …

Josh Milburn, "Just Fodder: The Ethics of Feeding Animals" (McGill-Queen's UP, 2022)

August 31, 2022

Just Fodder

Josh Milburn
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

Animal lovers who feed meat to other animals are faced with a paradox: perhaps fewer animals would be harmed if they stopped feeding the ones they lov…

Max Foran, "The Subjugation of Canadian Wildlife: Failures of Principle and Policy" (McGill-Queen's UP, 2018)

August 16, 2022

The Subjugation of Canadian Wildlife

Max Foran
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

Hardly a day goes by without news of the extinction or endangerment of yet another animal species, followed by urgent but largely unheeded calls for a…