Students are invited to read and engage with On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Yale professor and historian Timothy Snyder, an expert in modern European history. In this concise yet impactful book, Snyder draws from historical examples to explore how democratic and open societies have, in surprisingly consistent ways, descended into authoritarian rule. Through these lessons, he challenges readers to consider how fragile freedom can be—and to ask the sobering question: “Could this happen here?”

This book offers an opportunity not only to learn from the past but also to reflect deeply on the present. Students will be encouraged to participate in thoughtful conversation that is respectful, affirming, and shaped by a consistently Christian perspective.

Required reading: On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder, ISBN 978-0804190114, is available in the Calvin University Campus Store and online.

         Subject: literature, global studies, history

Don Levy has been an inner-city high school teacher, area director of Michigan for the Great Books Foundation, and adjunct professor of English at Calvin University.