Barbara J. King
Barbara J. King is a contributor to the NPR blog 13.7: Cosmos & Culture. She is a Chancellor Professor of Anthropology at the College of William and Mary. With a long-standing research interest in primate behavior and human evolution, King has studied baboon foraging in Kenya and gorilla and bonobo communication at captive facilities in the United States.
Recently, she has taken up writing about animal emotion and cognition more broadly, including in bison, farm animals, elephants and domestic pets, as well as primates.
King's most recent book is How Animals Grieve (University of Chicago Press, 2013). Her article "When Animals Mourn" in the July 2013 Scientific American has been chosen for inclusion in the 2014 anthology The Best American Science and Nature Writing. King reviews non-fiction for the Times Literary Supplement (London) and is at work on a new book about the choices we make in eating other animals. She was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for her work in 2002.
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Would you eat beef, chicken, even foie gras grown from animal cells in the lab? Anthropologist Barbara J. King takes a look at new food technologies. -
Tiny filler words in human rapid-fire conversation hold the key to understanding how language is unique, according to a new book. But anthropologist Barbara J. King raises some questions. -
Empathy for people diagnosed with an anxiety disorder can come about by reading first-person accounts and by knowing the facts from science, says anthropologist Barbara J. King. -
Technology allows mapping of wildlife movements with new precision — and a fresh approach to conservation — as evidenced by Where the Animals Go, released Tuesday in the U.S., says Barbara J. King. -
When it comes to finding and preparing food, we're a continually inventive species. Anthropologist Barbara J. King asks: What are the food trends of the future? -
There can be wisdom in uniting around ethical eating, rather than fighting about how many animal products we consume, says anthropologist Barbara J. King. -
In her new book, anthropologist and NPR commentator Barbara J. King takes a look at how "food animals" think and feel — and what that means for us. -
Physician Neal Barnard argues that cheese is unhealthy and addictive. Anthropologist Barbara J. King takes a look at Barnard's provocative new book. -
Can't see The Boss in concert? Pick up his new memoir, which begins with 7-year-old Springsteen watching Elvis on TV. From $3-a-night shows to swooning stadiums, it's a wild and well-written ride.
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If hyper-arousal is a normal state for many children, how can we help our kids learn to be genuinely calm? Anthropologist Barbara J. King explores a new book on self-regulation.
