Why History Matters in an Age of Polycrisis

In this week’s episode of then & now, we present a recording of a recent event co-sponsored by the Wende Museum and the Luskin Center for History and Policy. This event launched the Meyer and Renee Luskin Public History Program at the Wende Museum, a series made possible through the extraordinary generosity of Meyer and Renee Luskin, with a thought-provoking conversation on the role of history in shaping how we address today’s most urgent problems.Wende Museum Founder and Executive Director Justin Jampol was joined by David N. Myers, Distinguished Professor of History at UCLA and the Director of the Luskin Center for History and Policy, for an illuminating discussion on public history—how we collectively engage with the past to help make sense of the present. In an era defined by what some call a “polycrisis” of entangled geopolitical, economic, and ecological disruptions, historical perspective is more essential than ever. Together, Jampol and Myers explore the ways history can help us navigate complexity, challenge dominant narratives, and foster informed activism.Justin Jampol is the Founder and Executive Director of the Wende Museum. A scholar of Cold War visual culture, Jampol has dedicated his career to uncovering and preserving artifacts that tell alternative histories of 20th-century geopolitics. His innovative approach to public history—merging art, archives, and community engagement—has made the Wende Museum a global model for rethinking how museums interact with the past.David N. Myers is a Distinguished Professor of History at UCLA and the Director of the Luskin Center for History and Policy and the UCLA Initiative to Study Hate. A leading scholar of Jewish history, he has authored six books and edited thirteen others, including The Stakes of History: On the Use and Abuse of Jewish History for Life (Yale University Press, 2018). His research addresses Jewish intellectual and cultural history, with a focus on how historical narratives shape identity, politics, and social movements.Further ReadingThe Wende Museum programs