Prominent Yale Historians Reflect on Life in Canada Amid Trump's Policies

A year ago, Timothy Snyder and his partner, Marci Shore, both esteemed historians from Yale University, made the decision to move to Canada after being recruited by the University of Toronto. They saw this transition as a chance for a refreshing adventure in the midst of what Professor Snyder described as a "positive midlife crisis."

As they began to settle into their new surroundings, they quickly noticed a drastic change in the atmosphere among the progressive academic community they had left in New Haven, Connecticut. The election of Donald Trump in November cast a shadow over their former haunts, with rising concerns about the administration's aggressive stance towards U.S. colleges, which it accused of fostering anti-American sentiments. The administration's new policies posed significant threats to international students, funding, and the academic freedoms that many cherish.

In light of these developments, both Snyder and Shore, alongside Jason Stanley, a philosophy professor also from Yale who recently relocated to Toronto, have become vocal critics of Trump’s administration and its impact on education and academic discourse.