David Ekbladh

David Ekbladh is a Professor of History at Tufts University, affiliated with the School of Arts and Sciences. He holds a PhD from Columbia University (2003) and prior degrees from Columbia (MPhil 1998, MA 1997) and American University (BA 1994). His research bridges U.S. foreign relations, global history, and modernization theory, with a focus on 20th-century transnational dynamics. Ekbladh’s seminal work The Great American Mission examines modernization as a U.S. foreign policy tool, while his current project investigates 1930s American globalism amid interwar crises.

Professional experience includes roles with the Carnegie Corporation (international affairs), UN educational programs, and the Tokyo Foundation (Japan). Awards include Fulbright Specialist status (2016–2020) and a Senior Semester Leave award (2016). He has secured grants such as the Smith Richardson Foundation’s support for his modernization research (2008–2009).

Teaching spans courses on U.S. foreign relations, global history, and the New Deal’s international legacy. His publications span scholarly articles, book chapters, and edited volumes, addressing topics like interwar diplomacy, Cold War development strategies, and transnational intellectual networks. Ekbladh frequently contributes to academic conferences and public lectures on global history and U.S. internationalism.