Margaret MacMillan

(Photo by Ander McIntyre)

October 23, 2020

Historian, author Margaret MacMillan to discuss how prior lessons can aid COVID recovery

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Historian and noted Canadian author Margaret MacMillan will discuss how lessons from history can help the world recover from the COVID-19 pandemic during a virtual discussion hosted by Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute next week.

MacMillan, a professor of history at the University of Toronto, will also discuss her new book, “War: How Conflict Shaped Us” with John T. Shaw, Simon Institute director. The virtual discussion, part of the Simon Institute’s “Understanding Our New World” series via Zoom, is at 2 p.m. Oct. 28.

“Margaret MacMillan is one of the most popular and respected historians in the world. She is also a revered professor at the University of Toronto and Oxford University,” Shaw said. “We look forward to discussing with Professor MacMillan how the study of history can guide us during these dangerous and difficult times.”

Shaw said MacMillan’s new book, which was published earlier this month, “explores a difficult but essential subject.”

MacMillan, who specializes in British imperial history and international history in the 19th and 20th centuries, is a professor emerita of internal history at the University of Oxford and a visiting distinguished historian at the Council on Foreign Relations. An author of several books, she has recently discussed the pandemic’s impact on international relationships and leadership.

Registration is open for MacMillan’s conversation

Registration for the free Zoom meeting is available in advance. After completing registration, participants will receive an email confirmation with information about joining the meeting, along with the meeting ID and password. 

Participants have an opportunity when they register to submit a question to MacMillan by email at paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu or by including it in the “Questions and Comments” section on the registration form. 

More information on the Simon Institute’s events is available at paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu/event-information/.