John Adam Tooze (born 1967) is an English historian who is a professor at
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
, Director of the
European Institute
The European Institute is a nonpartisan public policy organization dedicated to Transatlantic relations. The Institute was founded in 1989 and is based in Washington, D.C. It regularly hosts forums, roundtable discussions, and programs with po ...
and nonresident scholar at
Carnegie Europe
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) is a nonpartisan international affairs think tank headquartered in Washington D.C. with operations in Europe, South and East Asia, and the Middle East as well as the United States. Founded i ...
. Previously, he was Reader in Twentieth-Century History at the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
and Gurnee Hart Fellow in History at
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's full name is The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge. Its common name comes fr ...
. After leaving Cambridge in 2009, he spent six years at
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
as Professor of Modern German History and Director of International Security Studies at the
MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies, succeeding
Paul Kennedy
Paul Michael Kennedy (born 17 June 1945) is a British historian specialising in the history of international relations, economic power and grand strategy. He has published prominent books on the history of British foreign policy and great pow ...
. Through his books (such as ''Crashed'') and his online newsletter (Chartbook), he reaches a varied audience of historians, investors, administrators, and others.
Early life
Tooze was born on 5 July 1967 to British parents who met at
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
. His maternal grandparents were the social researchers
Arthur
Arthur is a common male given name of Brittonic languages, Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. An ...
and Margaret Wynn, who together wrote a study of the financial connections of the
Conservative Party
The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right.
Political parties called The Conservative P ...
establishment. Arthur was also a civil servant and recruiter of Soviet spies at
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
. Tooze's father was a molecular biologist who worked in
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, where Tooze spent much of his childhood. He had an early interest in engineering and an aspiration to design engines for race cars. A precocious student, at secondary school he was permitted to teach a class on
Keynesian
Keynesian economics ( ; sometimes Keynesianism, named after British economist John Maynard Keynes) are the various macroeconomic theories and models of how aggregate demand (total spending in the economy) strongly influences economic output and ...
modelling.
Education and research
After studying at
Highgate School
Highgate School, formally Sir Roger Cholmeley's School at Highgate, is an English co-educational, fee-charging, independent day school, founded in 1565 in Highgate, London, England. It educates over 1,400 pupils in three sections – Highgate ...
from 1983 to 1985,
Tooze graduated with a BA in economics from
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, the college lies beside the River Cam and faces out onto King's Parade in the centre of the city ...
in 1989. He then studied at the
Free University of Berlin
The Free University of Berlin (, often abbreviated as FU Berlin or simply FU) is a public research university in Berlin, Germany. It is consistently ranked among Germany's best universities, with particular strengths in political science and t ...
before moving to the
London School of Economics
, mottoeng = To understand the causes of things
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £240.8 million (2021)
, budget = £391.1 millio ...
for a doctorate in economic history under the supervision of
Alan Milward.
In 2002 Tooze was awarded a
Philip Leverhulme Prize
The Philip Leverhulme Prize is awarded by the Leverhulme Trust to recognise the achievement of outstanding researchers whose work has already attracted international recognition and whose future career is exceptionally promising. The prize schem ...
for Modern History for his first book, ''Statistics and the German State, 1900–1945: The Making of Modern Economic Knowledge''. He is probably best known for his economic study of the
Third Reich
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
, ''
The Wages of Destruction
''The Wages of Destruction'' is a non-fiction book detailing the economic history of Nazi Germany. Written by Adam Tooze, it was first published by Allen Lane in 2006.
''The Wages of Destruction'' won the Wolfson History Prize and the 2007 Lo ...
'', which was one of the winners of the 2006
Wolfson History Prize
The Wolfson History Prizes are literary awards given annually in the United Kingdom to promote and encourage standards of excellence in the writing of history for the general public. Prizes are given annually for two or three exceptional works ...
, and an extended history of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
with ''
The Deluge
The Genesis flood narrative (chapters 6–9 of the Book of Genesis) is the Hebrew version of the universal flood myth. It tells of God's decision to return the universe to its pre- creation state of watery chaos and remake it through the microc ...
'', published in 2014. He then widened his scope to study the financial crash of 2008 and its economic and geopolitical consequences with ''Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World'', published in 2018, for which he won the 2019
Lionel Gelber Prize
The Lionel Gelber Prize is a literary award for English non-fiction books on foreign policy. Founded in 1989 by Canadian diplomat Lionel Gelber, the prize awards "the world’s best non-fiction book in English on foreign affairs that seeks to deep ...
.
Tooze writes for numerous publications, including the ''
Financial Times
The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...
'', ''
London Review of Books
The ''London Review of Books'' (''LRB'') is a British literary magazine published twice monthly that features articles and essays on fiction and non-fiction subjects, which are usually structured as book reviews.
History
The ''London Review of ...
'', ''
New Left Review
The ''New Left Review'' is a British bimonthly journal covering world politics, economy, and culture, which was established in 1960.
History Background
As part of the British "New Left" a number of new journals emerged to carry commentary on m ...
'', ''
The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'', ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', ''
Foreign Policy
A State (polity), state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterall ...
'', and ''
Die Zeit
''Die Zeit'' (, "The Time") is a German national weekly newspaper published in Hamburg in Germany. The newspaper is generally considered to be among the German newspapers of record and is known for its long and extensive articles.
History
The ...
''.
Personal life
Tooze is a grandson of the British civil servant and Soviet spy,
Arthur Wynn
Arthur Henry Ashford Wynn (22 January 1910 – 24 September 2001), was a British civil servant, social researcher, and recruiter of Soviet spies for the KGB.
Early life
Wynn was the son of a professor of medicine. Educated at Oundle School, he ...
and his wife, Peggy Moxon. Tooze's 2006 book, ''
The Wages of Destruction
''The Wages of Destruction'' is a non-fiction book detailing the economic history of Nazi Germany. Written by Adam Tooze, it was first published by Allen Lane in 2006.
''The Wages of Destruction'' won the Wolfson History Prize and the 2007 Lo ...
'', is dedicated to them.
Honours
* H-Soz-Kult Prize for Modern History (2002)
*
Philip Leverhulme Prize
The Philip Leverhulme Prize is awarded by the Leverhulme Trust to recognise the achievement of outstanding researchers whose work has already attracted international recognition and whose future career is exceptionally promising. The prize schem ...
(2002)
*
Wolfson History Prize
The Wolfson History Prizes are literary awards given annually in the United Kingdom to promote and encourage standards of excellence in the writing of history for the general public. Prizes are given annually for two or three exceptional works ...
(2006)
* Longman History Today Prize (2007)
*
''Los Angeles Times'' Book Prize for History (2015)
*
Lionel Gelber Prize
The Lionel Gelber Prize is a literary award for English non-fiction books on foreign policy. Founded in 1989 by Canadian diplomat Lionel Gelber, the prize awards "the world’s best non-fiction book in English on foreign affairs that seeks to deep ...
(2019)
* Hans-Matthöfer-Preis für Wirtschaftspublizistik (2019)
Bibliography
Books
* ''Statistics and the German State, 1900–1945: The Making of Modern Economic Knowledge'' (Cambridge Studies in Modern Economic History), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Translated in German.
* ''
The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy'', London: Allen Lane, 2006. Translated in German, French, Dutch, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Russian.
* ''
The Deluge: The Great War, America and the Remaking of the Global Order, 1916–1931'', London: Allen Lane, 2014. Translated in German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Chinese and Russian.
* ''Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World'', London: Allen Lane and New York: Viking, August 2018. Translated in German, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian and Greek.
* ''Shutdown: How Covid Shook the World's Economy'', Allen Lane, Sep 7 2021.
;As editor:
* ''Cambridge History of World War II. Volume 3'' with
Michael Geyer
Michael Geyer is a German historian, and Samuel N. Harper Professor Emeritus of German and European History, at University of Chicago. He is the recipient of the 2012 Axel Springer Berlin Prize and Senior Fellow at the American Academy in Berlin
...
, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015.
* ''Normalität und Fragilität: Demokratie nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg'' with Tim B. Müller, Hamburg: Hamburger Editionen, 2015.
Substack newsletter
*
Essays and reporting
* "Is this the end of the American century? America Pivots", ''
London Review of Books
The ''London Review of Books'' (''LRB'') is a British literary magazine published twice monthly that features articles and essays on fiction and non-fiction subjects, which are usually structured as book reviews.
History
The ''London Review of ...
'', 4 April 2019.
* "Democracy and Its Discontents", ''
The New York Review of Books
''The New York Review of Books'' (or ''NYREV'' or ''NYRB'') is a semi-monthly magazine with articles on literature, culture, economics, science and current affairs. Published in New York City, it is inspired by the idea that the discussion of i ...
'', 6 June 2019.
* Additional, ongoing series of original articles written after the publication of his last book on his website, entitled ''Framing Crashed''.
* "Whose century?", ''
London Review of Books
The ''London Review of Books'' (''LRB'') is a British literary magazine published twice monthly that features articles and essays on fiction and non-fiction subjects, which are usually structured as book reviews.
History
The ''London Review of ...
'', vol. 42, no. 15 (30 July 2020), pp. 9–13. Tooze closes (p. 13): "Can
he US
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
fashion a domestic political bargain to enable the US to become what it currently is not: a competent and co-operative partner in the management of the collective risks of the
Anthropocene
The Anthropocene ( ) is a proposed geological epoch dating from the commencement of significant human impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems, including, but not limited to, anthropogenic climate change.
, neither the International Commissi ...
. This is what the
Green New Deal
Green New Deal (GND) proposals call for public policy to address climate change along with achieving other social aims like job creation and reducing economic inequality. The name refers back to the New Deal, a set of social and economic refo ...
promised. After the shock of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
it is more urgent than ever."
Book reviews
References
External links
*
"Adam Tooze is Incoming Director of the European Institute", Columbia University 2015''The Crash That Failed'' review of ''Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World'' by
Robert Kuttner
Robert L. Kuttner (; born April 17, 1943) is an American journalist and writer whose works present a liberal/progressive point of view. Kuttner is the co-founder and current co-editor of ''The American Prospect'', which was created in 1990 as a ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tooze, Adam
1967 births
Living people
21st-century English historians
21st-century English male writers
Academics of the University of Cambridge
Alumni of King's College, Cambridge
Columbia University faculty
Economic historians
English male non-fiction writers
Fellows of Jesus College, Cambridge
New Statesman people
People educated at Highgate School
Science communicators
Writers from London