Francis J. Gavin Winner of the 2026 Lionel Gelber Prize

Why It Matters

Gavin’s prize‑winning guide equips leaders and citizens with a disciplined approach to history, preventing its manipulation and fostering more informed, equitable policy choices.

Key Takeaways

• Historical thinking requires rigorous methods, not just intuitive narratives.
• Misused history can fuel division, justify injustice, and confuse public.
• Gavin’s book offers best practices to avoid simplistic historical analysis.
• Critical self‑examination of past narratives improves present policy decisions.
• The Lionel Gelber Prize highlights scholarship that shapes global understanding.

Summary

The video announces that Francis J. Gavin has been awarded the 2026 Lionel Gelber Prize for his new work on historical methodology. The prize, one of the most prestigious in international affairs, recognizes Gavin’s effort to codify how scholars and policymakers should think about the past.

Gavin argues that our brains are wired to construct causal stories, which often leads to oversimplified or even harmful narratives. He stresses that true historical thinking demands disciplined research, source criticism, and an awareness of how history can be weaponized to sow division or legitimize unjust structures.

A striking line from the talk underscores the danger: “History can be used to generate confusion, to sow division, to justify certain narratives…that over time become seen as unjust.” By exposing these pitfalls, Gavin provides concrete guidelines—such as triangulating evidence and interrogating one’s own biases—to safeguard against misuse.

The award signals a broader demand for rigorous, ethically grounded scholarship that can inform public debate and policy. As governments grapple with contested pasts, Gavin’s framework offers a roadmap for turning history into a tool for constructive, forward‑looking decision‑making.

Original Description

The winner of the 2026 Lionel Gelber Prize is Thinking Historically: A Guide to Statecraft and Strategy by Francis J. Gavin, published by Yale University Press.

“Thinking Historically is a book for our times. In the midst of escalating, interconnected crises that are challenging deeply embedded assumptions and creating new levels of uncertainty, Gavin shows how thinking historically helps us see some of what we otherwise would miss,” said Janice Gross Stein, the Chair of the Gelber Jury.

Chosen by a jury of international journalists, practitioners and scholars, the Lionel Gelber Prize is awarded annually to the best book on international affairs published in English. The Prize is presented by the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. The winner will receive $50,000.

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