The Modern World, Part One: Global History from 1760 to 1910

Philip Zelikow is the White Burkett Miller Professor of History at the University of Virginia, where he has also served as the dean of the Graduate School. Zelikow began his professional career as a trial and appellate lawyer in Texas. He later received his Ph.D. from Tufts University’s Fletcher School. As a career diplomat he was posted overseas and in Washington, including service on the NSC staff for President George H.W. Bush.

After teaching at Harvard University during the 1990s, Zelikow came to Virginia, where he has directed a research center and teaches modern world history and modern U.S. history. His books include Germany Unified and Europe Transformed: A Study in Statecraft (with Condoleezza Rice), The Kennedy Tapes: Inside the White House during the Cuban Missile Crisis (with Ernest May), and Essence of Decision (with Graham Allison).

Zelikow has taken two leaves from academia to return full-time to government service. In 2003-04, he directed the 9/11 Commission. In 2005-07, he was Counselor of the Department of State, a deputy to Secretary Rice.

From 2011 to 2013, he served part-time as a member of President Obama’s Intelligence Advisory Board. He served earlier on this board from 2001 to 2003. He also is a member of the Defense Policy Board advising Secretary Carter and has been on the advisory board for global development of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.