Speeches and Workshops

A Selection of Previous Speaking Engagements

"War is Not Inevitable" Keynote speech at the Abolition of War conference in Vaasa, Finland. Spring 2014. Read the full speech.
World Humanist Conference, Oslo, Norway
Tellus Institute, Boston, MA
American Humanist Association, Boston, MA
Davis Peace Coalition, Davis, CA
Southern California Secular Humanist Conference, San Diego, CA.
Humanist Association of San Diego, San Diego, CA
San Diego Association for Rational Inquiry, San Diego, CA
La Jolla/Torry Pines Rotary, La Jolla, CA
People to People, Rancho Bernardo, CA.
World Affairs Council, North County, Rancho Bernardo, CA.
Up The River Endeavors, Martha's Vineyard, MA.
Anthropology Department, Harvard University, Boston, MA
Panel on Promoting Peace with Arun Gandhi and Azim Khamisa, IVAT (Institute on Violence Abuse and Trauma), San Diego, CA.
Coronado Rotary, Coronado, CA.
San Diego Brandeis University Women, La Jolla, CA.
Executive Women's Council, University Club, San Diego, CA.
The Gender and Equity Resource Center, University of California, Berkeley.
Redlands American Association of University Women (AAUW), Redlands, CA.
Laguna Pen Women, Irvine, CA.

"Dr. Hand's clear, enthusiastic presentation offers so much food for thought on how our world might be different, and for the better. I came away inspired to do my part to make some of those critical changes happen." - Judith Fulton, Program Chairman of the American Association of University Women, Redlands, CA

"Within minutes, Judith grabs the imagination and flings it to a different place and time." "Super ideas and a fascinating talk!" - Jeffrey T. Wilson, Esq., Program Chairman of the Poway Kiwanis, Poway, CA

Speeches

In all of her presentations, Evolutionary Biologist Dr. Judith Hand brings a fresh, unique approach that rests not on armchair philosophy or wishful thinking but on a solid biological foundation. Using fields as diverse as anthropology, primatology, social history, and evolutionary biology she builds a convincing argument for the role women and men must play in partnership to convert the dream of a future without war into reality. In clear, accessible language Hand explores:

The origins of cooperation, empathy, morality, and war.
Why men make war and women prefer social stability.
The locations and characteristics of some of the world's nonviolent cultures.
Necessary essentials of any campaign to end the practice of war: Constructive Program, Obstructive Program, leaders of vision, a game plan.
Why our time is different—why we can finally accomplish what no people before us have been able to do.
Why and how a "warfare transition" from societies based on war to ones based on ending war could occur with remarkable speed.

No More War: the Human Potential for Peace
55 min.
A biological and anthropological perspective on the origins of war, male/female differences with respect to social conflicts, and the human potential for peace.
Over four millennia of recorded history would seem to prove that war is inevitable—an inescapable product of human nature. In this talk, Dr. Hand explains why that gloomy assessment is wrong. She then goes on to explain what will be required of us, men and women as full partners, if we are to create a future without war.

No More War: Women and the Human Potential for Peace – 55 min.
Similar to the first speech but emphasizing the role of women.

No More War: Women and the Human Potential for Peace – 35 min.
Similar to the first speech but compressed to 35 minutes.

"Hearing Judith Hand is a breath of fresh air as she, unlike many who would like to end wars, concedes the inevitably of conflict. Her message, that inclusion of women is a necessary condition for success, is both a new concept and a justifiable innovation to the body of work on this difficult subject of avoiding war." - Cal Watson, Board Member of the San Diego World Council, President of the San Diego World Affairs Council-North County and President of the Continuing Education Center at Rancho Bernardo, CA