Appearances

Appearances

To contact Barbara about a speaking engagement, write her at bjking@wm.edu.

Upcoming Appearances

June 18, 2022, 2:00pm-4:00pm ET

Friends local to Gloucester-Williamsburg VA! Mark your calendars for Sat. 6/18, when Barbara speaks and signs books at Gloucester County’s new indie bookstore RANDOM WORDS (White Marsh Shopping Center, Route 17). She will be at the store from 2-4. Come support your local bookstore!

Select Past Appearances

April 15-19, 2019

TED2019 | Bigger Than Us
Vancouver, Canada
Barbara spoke at the TED 2019 conference in Vancouver, Canada, on April 18. In a main stage talk, she discussed animal grief and love, and how our recognition of these emotions compels us to be better, and do better, for animals.

Her talk was noted in the TED Highlights blog post for this year’s conference. https://blog.ted.com/in-case-you-missed-it-highlights-from-ted2019/

Watch Barbara’s TED Talk here.


January 27, 2022, 7:00pm-8:30pm ET

Transforming Medical Research: Advancing Modern, Ethical Methods to Help People and Animals
free event 7pm Eastern, January 27, to hear Barbara and other panelists speak about the future of non-animal, compassionate methods in medical research.

Register here.

July 24, 2021, 12:00pm ET

Extending Compassion for All Beings: A Facebook Live Conversation
Barbara joins Phoenix Zones Initiative founder Dr. Hope Ferdowsian on Facebook Live for story-telling about the joys animals bring her and for discussion about increasing compassion for all animals.

Facebook registration link here.

June 23, 2021, 7:00pm ET

Beyond Binaries: A Conversation about Humans and Other Animals
Virtual event with pattrice jones of VINE Sanctuary in Vermont

Zoom registration link here.

June 1, 2021, 10:00am – 10:30am ET

Keynote Speaker, Transforming Animals’ Lives through Compassion: Views from Anthropology and Activism
Human-Animal Studies Israel (HASI) Annual Conference 2021: Human-Animal Relations: Opportunities and Challenges in Changing Realities

Event info coming soon.

May 18, 2021, 7:00pm – 8:00pm ET

Farm Sanctuary Speakers Series
In conversation with Jeff VanderMeer
Farm Sanctuary
Join me in conversation with best-selling author Jeff VanderMeer in this Farm Sanctuary Speakers Series event.

More information here.

May 5, 2021, 3:00pm – 4:00pm ET

Webinar on public advocacy for animals in anthropology, with Dr. Amanda Stronza led by Dr. Lori Marino

Event info coming soon

April 29, 2021, 7:00pm – 8:30pm ET

Special Events: Animals’ Best Friends: Putting Compassion to Work for Animals in Captivity and in the Wild WITH BARBARA J. KING
Lexington Community Education
Come listen to my public talk with Lexington MA Community Education

Zoom Event »

April 26, 2021, 5:00pm – 6:00pm ET

Community Conversation with Author Barbara J. King
In Conversation with Lisa Fontaine
The Human Rescue Alliance
Join me in conversation with Human Rescue Alliance President and CEO Lisa Fontaine.

Zoom Event »

April 22, 2021, 1:00pm – 2:00pm ET

By the Book: Smart Talk with Authors
An Earth Day conversation with Brendan Keim
The University of Chicago Press
On Earth Day, join me in conversation with journalist Brandon Keim about my new book on compassion for animals.

Zoom Event »

January 25, 2020, 1:00pm – 1:45pm

V72: The Big Event
Hosted by Vegan Action Richmond

Hofheimer Building
2818 W Broad St
Richmond, VA 23230
I’m talking about how an understanding of animals as thinking, feeling beings may impact our food system.

Facebook Event »

April 28, 2019, 1:30pm – 3:00pm

The Evolution of Religious Belief: Seeking Deep Evolutionary Roots (Panel Discussion)
National Museum of Natural History
Washington, D.C.
Barbara discussed how we may better understand the human impulse for religious belief by adopting an evolutionary perspective. A panel discussion followed with Dr. Nancy Howell from St. Paul School of Theology, Dr. Michael Tenneson from Evangel University, and Fr. Peter Ryan from Sacred Heart Major Seminary, moderated by Dr. Jim Miller from the Presbyterian Association on Science, Technology, and the Christian Faith.

Event Info »
Event Flyer »


March 21, 2019, 6:00pm (reception 5:30pm)

Rhodes College
Memphis, Tennessee
Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of the Animals We Eat
Event Info »


November 16, 2018, 8:30pm – 9:15pm

American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting
San Jose, California
Animals Who Think and Feel: A View From the Intersection of Biological Anthropology and Activism
Conference Info »


August 11-12, 2018

Farm Sanctuary
Watkins Glen, New York
Talk on animal love and grief
Event Info »


June 2, 2018, 8pm

World Science Festival
The Believing Brain: Evolution, Neuroscience, and the Spiritual Instinct
Gerald W. Lynch Theatre at John Jay College
New York City
Event Info »

Field Report Podcast (interview begins at 52:40)


March 23, 2018

Virginia Festival of the Book
Charlottesville, VA
Panel: Hidden Lives: Exploring Our Relationships with Animals (Barbara J. King, Abbie Gascho Landis, Maryn McKenna)

Video:

September, 2017

Conference ‘Social Media in Academia’
Notre Dame University
Keynote talk: Animals Who Love and Grieve: The Anthropology of Animal Emotions.

View Talk on Facebook »

2016

On Neanderthal Religion
NPR’s Weekend All Things Considered
Barbara is in conversation with Michel Martin about our evolutionary cousins and the evidence for their possible religiosity.

Listen »

2016

The Future of Zoos
The Diane Rehm Radio Show
In conversation with Tom Gjelten, Andrew Revkin and Dennis Kelly, Barbara argues it is necessary to think hard about which animals should not be confined to zoos, and how animals should be confined in the zoos that remain, going forward.

Listen »

2015

Grief
BBC Long segment includes Barbara in conversation with others; shorter segments are Barbara on her own in 2-minute clip on bird grief, and on her own doing 60 Second Idea To Change the World.

Listen »