Annual McGinty Lecture to be given by Timothy Snyder, award-winning historian

Salve Regina’s annual John E. McGinty Lecture in History will be taking place on Thursday, April 25, at 7 p.m. in the Bazarsky Lecture Hall in O’Hare Academic Building. The lecture is free and open to the Salve Regina community, as well as the general public. To register, go here.

Entitled “War and History: The Overlooked Global Significance of the Lands of Ukraine,” the lecture will be given by Timothy Snyder, an award-winning, globally renowned historian who specializes in central and eastern European history.

Snyder will delve into the complex historical narrative surrounding the lands and people of Ukraine — spanning from prehistory to the present day. Going beyond the surface, Snyder will explore the multifaceted motivations for conflict and the intricate role that Ukraine has played in global history. Vladimir Putin’s utilization of historical myth to justify the Russian invasion of Ukraine will be examined, shedding light on alternative perspectives and deeper insights into the region’s historical significance.

In addition to giving this year’s McGinty Lecture, Snyder will also receive the 2024 Pell Center Prize for Story in the Public Square. Launched in 2013, the Pell Center Prize for Story in the Public Square is an award given each year to a storyteller whose work contributes to public understanding on important issues. Snyder’s profound contributions to public discourse through his meticulous research and compelling storytelling render him an exemplary recipient of the award. Renowned for his insightful analysis of historical events and their contemporary implications, Snyder has skillfully illuminated complex narratives – offering invaluable perspectives on the intersections of politics, society and human rights. His commitment to fostering understanding and global perspectives through his body of work aligns seamlessly with the mission of the University, making him a deserving honoree whose work inspires critical reflection and meaningful dialogue in the public sphere.

Snyder (right) with Volodymyr Zelensky, president of Ukraine.

Snyder boasts a remarkable array of scholarly works, including six award-winning books that have been translated into over 30 languages. His acclaimed work, “Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin,” has garnered international recognition, receiving 12 prestigious awards, including the Emerson Prize in the Humanities and the Leipzig Award for European Understanding. Similarly, his subsequent publication, “Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning,” has been recognized with awards from esteemed organizations such as the Dutch Auschwitz Committee and the Association of Jewish Veterans of Poland.

Snyder has also contributed to the discourse on historical ideas and contemporary politics through several publications, with his latest book “On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century” marking a significant addition to his distinguished body of work.

Snyder received his bachelor’s degree in European history and political science from Brown University in 1991. He then became a British Marshall Scholar at the University of Oxford, where he received his doctorate in 1997.

He has held fellowships at the National Center for Scientific Research (Centre Nationale des Recherches Scientifiques) in Paris, France; the Harvard University’s Olin Institute for Strategic Studies; served as an academy scholar at Harvard’s Center for International Affairs; and has held multiple fellowships at the Institute for Human Sciences (Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen) in Vienna, Austria.

Currently, Snyder is the Richard C. Levin Professor of History at Yale University – teaching courses and seminars in modern eastern European political history.

To register, go here.