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 

“With bronze as a mirror, we tidy our clothes; with history as a mirror, we can discern the rise and fall of dynasties.” –  Taizong emperor, 7th century 

(More Quotes ») 

Article of the Week 

“The U.S. Deported This Chinese Scientist, in a Decision That Changed World History” – Kathleen Kingsbury, The New York Times, May 30, 2025. 

“Dr. Qian’s achievements on behalf of China demonstrate the risk of giving up that advantage and the potential dark side of alienating — rather than welcoming — the world’s talent,” argues Kingsbury. The “brilliant Chinese rocket scientist” Qian Xuesen, she argues, was one of the US’s “keys to winning the Cold War” as early as in 1950. Reflecting on the Trump administration’s decision last week to “‘aggressively revoke’” Chinese students’ US visas, Kingsbury reminds us that “Dr. Qian’s deportation should serve as an important cautionary tale.” After all, “To this day, Washington spends billions of dollars on a nuclear umbrella shielding our Pacific allies from his technical achievements,” which “set in motion the technological revolution that turned China into a superpower.”