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 

“The dominant mental methodology of real policymakers is historical reasoning.” – Ash Carter, “Shaping Disruptive Technological Change for Public Good,” adapted from the Ernest May Lecture given by the author to the Aspen Strategy Group, August 2018

(More Quotes ») 

Article of the Week 

“Trump is still haunted by Hoover's failures” by Zachary Basu (director of news) for Axios 

Highlighting recent comments by President Donald Trump about presidential history, Basu emphasizes the role that historical reasoning plays in Trump's decision-making. “I've studied presidents — some good, some bad, some great. ... And the one president I did not want to be was the late, great Herbert Hoover,” Trump said. Basu suggests three ways in which Trump and Hoover resemble each other, despite Trump's wishes. Both were businessmen before president, imposed major tariffs, and oversaw net job loss (Trump during his first term due to COVID).