Fredrik Logevall nominated for an honorary doctorate

What does being awarded an honorary doctorate mean to you?

“It’s an enormous honour, and I was both shocked and delighted to get the news. We work hard as academics, year after year, and if we’re lucky we will be recognised now and then for this labour. But to be awarded an honorary doctorate is a particular distinction, and I feel a deep sense of gratitude to Uppsala University for selecting me. A special thrill for me is that I am Swedish-born and a Swedish citizen. Though I have lived in North America most of my life, I still feel a strong connection to my native land and I visit frequently. My father earned two degrees from Uppsala University, and I so wish that he was alive and could be with us for the ceremony in January.”

What is the nature of your collaboration with Uppsala University, and when did it begin?

“I’m a non-resident visiting professor at SINAS, the Swedish Institute for North American Studies, which is the only entity of its kind in Sweden. In this capacity I visit the university on a regular basis throughout the academic year, taking part in seminars and symposia, meeting with faculty and students, and in various ways trying to contribute to the important work that the institute is doing. My appointment began in the spring of 2024, and I’m thrilled to have it.”

How did you become interested in American modern history and American foreign policy?

“Soon after we emigrated from Sweden to Canada during my preteen years, I developed a deep interest in modern history and international politics. I cultivated this interest in secondary school and then in my university studies, and I took a special interest in the United States. The US was after all the great superpower just to the south of us; I wanted to understand how it functioned (or failed to do so), especially in the area of foreign policy. From there it was but a short step to pursuing doctoral studies on the topic. I became a historian of American foreign relations, and have remained one ever since – though recently I have also become more immersed in US domestic politics.”

What are you focusing on in your research right now?

“Currently I’m engaged in a ‘life and times’ biography of John F. Kennedy, America’s thirty-fifth president. Volume 1 was published five years ago, and I’ve now completed the second volume, which takes the story to JFK’s inauguration in January 1961. I’m now beginning work on the third and final volume, which will cover Kennedy’s presidency and assassination. My hope – and the reason for the massive size of the project – is that I can illuminate for readers not only Kennedy’s extraordinary life, but also the extraordinary history of the United States during his lifetime. It’s a dual story I’m telling – the story of a man and his country.”

Åsa Malmberg