Peter Baldwin

Peter Baldwin is a Global Professor at New York University's Center for European and Mediterranean Studies. Previously, he was a Professor of History at the University of California, Los Angeles. His academic journey includes a BA from Yale and MA and PhD degrees from Harvard.

Baldwin's research focuses on the comparative historical development of the modern state across Europe and the United States. His work examines:

• The class coalitions that cemented the modern welfare state
• 19th-century public health strategies that informed responses to AIDS and the coronavirus pandemic
• Historical battles over intellectual property that relate to current copyright and internet policy debates
• The evolving role of law as a socializing force in modern society

His publications span several decades, with recent works addressing pandemic responses, copyright history, and scholarly communication. Baldwin's research demonstrates consistent thematic connections between historical analysis and contemporary policy challenges, particularly in public health governance and social policy formation.

Baldwin serves on multiple prestigious boards including the New York Public Library, the Wikimedia Endowment, the Central European University, and the Danish Institute of Advanced Studies. He chairs the board of the Center for Jewish History. His expertise is widely recognized through contributions to major publications such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, CNN, Newsweek, New Republic, and international outlets like Der Spiegel and Berliner Zeitung.

As an academic leader, Baldwin bridges historical scholarship with contemporary policy debates, maintaining active engagement with both scholarly communities and public discourse through his extensive writing and institutional leadership roles.