The Presidency of Joseph R. Biden

A First Historical Assessment

Leading historians offer the first look at Biden’s four years in the White House

The Presidency of Joseph R. Biden presents a first draft of history by providing insights into how this one-term president fits within the broader historical forces shaping the United States in the twenty-first century. Acclaimed political historian Julian Zelizer brings together some of today’s leading scholars to give balanced and strikingly original assessments of the major issues of the Biden years, from education and reproductive rights to the economy, labor relations, climate policy, race, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the culture wars.

These incisive essays trace the full arc of Joe Biden’s presidency from its early successes to the setbacks that ultimately consumed it. His domestic legislative achievements were hailed by some as the most momentous of any American presidency since the Great Society while his foreign policy ably met the challenges posed by the nation’s great power rivals. Yet by late 2024, Biden’s legacy was in tatters, overshadowed by immigration, inflation, the war in Gaza, and the president’s obvious physical decline.

Written in a clear and accessible manner, The Presidency of Joseph R. Biden moves beyond the day-by-day journalistic coverage to provide the first comprehensive scholarly account of the Biden administration’s achievements and eventual downfall.

With contributions by Kathryn Cramer Brownell, María Cristina García, Joel K. Goldstein, Michael Kazin, Daniel C. Kurtzer, Joyce Mao, Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Timothy Naftali, Ekaterina Pravilova, Noah Rosenblum, Paul Sabin, Timothy Stewart-Winter, Sean H. Vanatta, John Witt, and Mary Ziegler.

Contributor: Julian E. Zelizer (Edited by), Kathryn Cramer Brownell (Contributions by), María Cristina García (Contributions by), Joel K. Goldstein (Contributions by), Michael Kazin (Contributions by), Daniel C. Kurtzer (Contributions by), Joyce Mao (Contributions by), Natalia Mehlman Petrzela (Contributions by), Khalil Gibran Muhammad (Contributions by), Timothy Naftali (Contributions by), Ekaterina Pravilova (Contributions by), Noah Rosenblum (Contributions by), Paul Sabin (Contributions by), Timothy Stewart-Winter (Contributions by), Sean H. Vanatta (Contributions by), John Witt (Contributions by), Mary Ziegler (Contributions by)

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