About Outside the Academy

I’m Professor Albert Thompson, a historian of war, culture, and social policy. Outside the Academy began when I saw two things happening at once:

1. Our public debates about history were being bent by politics.

2. Those bent debates were deepening our divisions—and our memory suffered.

I don’t write to win a news cycle. I write to recover ideas, context, and memory, so we can see today more honestly.

Each week, I write:

• Message Mondays – reflections on living wisely in modern life; philosophy, character, and first principles; for the seeker and the skeptic

• World War Wednesdays – a serialized history of the World Wars from 1914-1945, reexamining old assumptions and unpacking why American victory in 1945 was the best outcome for humanity

• Fire Hot Takes Fridays – a slightly spicier tone in review of the week’s events at home and abroad, grounded in historical perspective.

The Podcast: Outside the Academy – conversations on American history, Western civilization, world history, and culture. Notes and guides included; occasional guest scholars.

(A friend called me a “Columbo-style historian”—slow to speak, circling the real point. I’ll take it.)

This is my “just one more thing.”

Why Subscribe?

Free subscribers receive:

• One concise above the paywall newsletter each week (explainers or series entries).

• Podcast previews and shareable summaries.

If the work serves you, upgrading to paid sustains the project and unlocks:

• Full series entries with extended story and analysis.

• Long-form deep dives on history and civic life.

• Full podcast episodes + archive access.

• Access to the comment threads.

• Reading Lists and Plug and Play Self-Study Plans.

• Updates on public talks, events, and current research.

(Reader-supported; no hype. Just steady work.)

About Dr. Thompson

Dr. Albert Thompson is a historian of American government, conflict, and identity whose expertise bridges the gap between military history, political theory, and Christian theology. He has taught classes at Howard University, American University, New York University, and Georgetown University, helping students think historically and act prudently in the present. He holds degrees from Oral Roberts University (B.A.), Norwich University (M.A.), and Howard University (Ph.D.)—where he learned to communicate and work with diverse audiences across the political tribes.