The essays in History's Dead Grip, a collection compiled by historians Joseph Ledford and Daniel J. Sargent, examine how historical thinking has influenced governance around the world.
The book is inspired by the works of American historian Ernest R. May, a pioneer in applied history – where studies of the past help shape policies for the present.Ledford and Sargent undertake a study of US history, as May did, assessing the historical record of the Monroe Doctrine and other initiatives from the time of the Founding Fathers to understand contemporary American foreign policy. They called on leading researchers to expand the scope of May's approach, shifting the focus from the United States to Asia, the Middle East and South America.This broad focus ranges from Brazil's middle-power ambitions to shifts in Israeli and Saudi policy, to the building of a cult of leadership and the AI revolution currently underway.
Among its important contributions, this book: examines countries rarely covered by practitioners of applied history (Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Israel, North Korea, Indonesia), directly addressing how policymakers use the past; And highlighting Ernst May's insights into the landscapeAnarchism for the 21st century; It demonstrates the two sides of the power of historical thinking: it can be a vital compass for a wise policy or a trap that leads to a strategic error. and provide practical insights
Drawing on papers presented at the Hoover Institution's History Laboratory conference in May 2025, this book promises to become a classic reference in the ever-growing field of applied history, and a wonderful informative resource for academics, policymakers, and anyone interested in the uses and abuses of history.
