Timothy Snyder

Timothy Snyder is a prominent American historian specializing in the history of Central and Eastern Europe and the Holocaust. He holds the position of the Richard C. Levin Professor of History at Yale University and is a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. Snyder received his doctorate from the University of Oxford in 1997, where he was a British Marshall Scholar. Before his appointment at Yale in 2001, he held fellowships in Paris, Vienna, Warsaw, and an Academy Scholarship at Harvard. He is fluent in five and can read ten European languages.

Snyder has authored several significant books that have made him a recognized figure in historical and contemporary discourse. His notable works include "Nationalism, Marxism, and Modern Central Europe: A Biography of Kazimierz Kelles-Krauz," "The Reconstruction of Nations: Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, 1569-1999," "Sketches from a Secret War: A Polish Artist’s Mission to Liberate Soviet Ukraine," "The Red Prince: The Secret Lives of a Habsburg Archduke," and "Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin." His book "Bloodlands" has received multiple honors including the Emerson Prize in the Humanities, a Literature Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Hannah Arendt Prize in Political Thought. "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century" is another significant contribution, staying on bestseller lists for over two years and inspiring global discussions on democracy.

Snyder’s recent publications include "Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning" and "Our Malady," which explores healthcare as a human right, influenced by his own severe illness and hospitalization. "Our Malady" has added to his reputation as a public intellectual unafraid to link historical events to urgent contemporary issues. He has also assisted historian Tony Judt in composing "Thinking the Twentieth Century," a thematic history of political ideas and intellectuals in politics.

His scholarly work extends beyond books as he contributes to notable journals and newspapers, and engages with the public through various media appearances discussing topics like authoritarianism, the war in Ukraine, and the historical context of current events. Snyder's dedication to public understanding of history and current affairs is also evident in his role as a member of the Committee on Conscience of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and as faculty advisor for the Fortunoff Collection of Holocaust Testimonies at Yale. He continues to be an influential voice in both academic and public spheres, as his research now includes a project on a family history of nationalism and a philosophical book about freedom.