Talks from the Hoover Institution

How Historians Work: A History Lab Discussion with Dan Wang and Stephen Kotkin | Hoover Institution

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Jul 22, 2025
Stephen Kotkin, a Kleinheinz Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and an esteemed historian known for his work on Stalin, joins Dan Wang for an engaging discussion on the craft of history. They explore the importance of archival research and empathy in understanding historical contexts. Kotkin warns against 'junk history' and emphasizes the historian's role in responsible policymaking. They also discuss how AI can impact education and the pursuit of global peace, urging a balanced approach to the complexities of power and societal change.
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ADVICE

Use Strategic Empathy

  • Build empathy strategically to understand complex historical actors, even perpetrators of evil.
  • Empathy is about understanding, not validating actions or morals.
ANECDOTE

Building Bonds with Archivists

  • Kotkin's collaboration with archivists in Magnitogorsk deepened his insights and brought fresh materials to local historians.
  • Archivists value engaged researchers who appreciate and help interpret their collections.
INSIGHT

Balancing Depth and Patterns

  • Good historians balance deep knowledge of a case with learning patterns across multiple cases.
  • This enables them to explain complex historical phenomena beyond "one damn thing after another."
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