Historians treat the past as a foreign place that can unlock the mysteries of the present and the future. We study history for instrumental reasons, to redress the pervasive “history deficit” in political discourse and policy formation. We also study the past for broader, more imaginative purposes: to see and understand that everything in human experience – ideas, emotions, identities, social hierarchies, categories of difference – has a history that is constantly changing. Thinking like a historian will help you understand how attention to change, context, and contingency is critical to understanding the ethical and political dilemmas of the past, present, and future. These skills provide a foundation for careers in law, medicine, education, business, and public policy, while fostering the grounded imagination that makes activism, innovation, and entrepreneurship possible.

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