Applied History Project

The mission of Harvard’s Applied History Project is to revitalize applied history by promoting the production and use of historical reasoning to clarify public and private challenges and choices. Founded by Professors Graham Allison and Niall Ferguson in 2016, the Applied History Project builds upon the foundation laid by Professors Ernest May and Richard Neustadt in the 1980s, reflected in their book Thinking in Time: The Uses of History for Decision Makers. 

Advancing its mission, the Project sponsors the Applied History Working Group of faculty members across Harvard University to organize discussions with scholars and practitioners; supports historians and policymakers in producing Applied History; develops courses in Applied History; funds the Ernest May Fellowships in History and Policy for pre- and post-doctoral students; and holds Applied History Events open to the Harvard Community and the public. Harvard’s project is one of the leaders among a rapidly expanding network of universities and think tanks that are furthering the discipline of Applied History by clarifying predicaments and choices to inform better decisions.

The Project gratefully acknowledges the Stanton Foundation's generous support for its Applied History endeavors. 

Quote of the Week 

“A page of history is worth a volume of logic.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes, New York Trust v. Eisner, 256 US 345, 349 (1921)

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Article of the Week 

“With great presidential power comes great presidential blame” – Jason Willick, The Washington Post, November 23, 2025.

Willick argues that President Trump’s attempt to concentrate presidential power and put pressure on independent agencies has a major downside: Trump may take greater blame for policy failures. Delegating authority allowed President Eisenhower to deflect criticism for unpopular agricultural policies, and the Federal Reserve’s independence helped shield President Reagan during the 1980’s economic downturn, Willick writes. In contrast, Willick notes, Trump has repeatedly taken credit for or loudly supported tariffs, Justice Department prosecutions, and replacing the Fed’s governors—potential minefields if tariffs get struck down in court, prosecutions get dismissed, or inflation rises.