It is difficult, of course, to be both politically active and a working scholarly historian. Political activity requires supreme attention to the nuances of the present, as well as time away from reading, the archives, and one’s writing desk. You can’t simultaneously be at a rally, or helping prepare for a gathering, and also be attentive to the slow process of gathering evidence, organizing your findings, outlining, writing, and editing. Scholarship requires remove and reflection. It needs time for simmering and gestation, comparison and contrast. Scholarly progress also requires testing—review, comment, and criticism. We all know it’s a time-consuming process. Read more