Abstract

Applied history is often associated with grand strategy and high-level statecraft: using ‘big’ analogies like the 1938 Munich Agreement or the Vietnam War in the chambers of presidential advisory councils to guide policy decisions in the context of contemporary crises. Traditionally centered in institutions such as the Harvard Belfer Center, the field has largely focused on decision-making at the apex of power. But what is the role of historical knowledge and skills in the day-to-day practice of foreign affairs and defence, especially during times of war?

This seminar presents the results of an ongoing research project on the role of historical knowledge and skills in the Dutch response to Russia’s war against Ukraine. Based on more than fifty in-depth interviews with diplomats, military officers, and policymakers, the study offers empirical insight into how history is actually used within embassies, as well as in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence.

The interviews were conducted across key sites of practical responses to the war, including Dutch embassies in Kyiv, Moscow, and Warsaw; the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence in The Hague; the Netherlands’ Military Representation to NATO Headquarters in Brussels; and the Allied Joint Force Command in Brunssum. Together, they provide a picture of how history informed real-time responses to the war, as well as how broader lessons have been drawn from the conflict.

Key themes include how history was used to understand Russia (and its way of war), to support Ukraine, to inform diplomatic engagement, to facilitate the Netherlands Armed Forces’ transition back to high-intensity warfare. The seminar also refers to practices abroad that have inspired Dutch policymakers, including the role of history in strategic communication and (anti-)disinformation.

About the Speaker

Dr Floris van Berckel Smit is a Visiting Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) and a Postdoctoral Researcher in Applied History at Radboud University, the Netherlands. His research focuses on applied history and the role of historical knowledge and skills in policymaking, with particular emphasis on foreign policy, security affairs, and defence.

Van Berckel Smit obtained his PhD in History from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. His work has been recognised with the European Higher Education Society Outstanding Paper Award (2023).

He was previously a visiting scholar at Ghent University (2019-2020) and at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London (2025).