Steven Livingston

Steven Livingston is the Founding Director of the Institute for Data, Democracy, and Politics (IDDP) and a Professor of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University (GW). He has held leadership roles including Director of the Political Communication Program (1996–2002, 2004–2006) and Acting Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs (2004–2006). He founded the Public Diplomacy Institute (now the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication) in 2000. His research focuses on media/information technology’s role in governance, human rights, and global security, with notable work on the 'CNN Effect' and disinformation’s impact on democracy.

Education: Ph.D. (Political Science, University of Washington, 1990), M.A., and B.A. from the University of South Florida (1984 and 1981). Professional milestones include a 2019 $5M grant for IDDP, a Goldsmith Award (Harvard), and Fulbright Scholarship (declined).

Research interests span media-tech governance, political disinformation, international development, and security implications of technological advancement. His work examines how information systems shape policy in Africa, the Middle East, and post-conflict regions. Recent publications address disinformation’s erosion of democratic institutions and ICT’s role in African governance.

Key grants and fellowships: $5M IDDP grant (2019), Ford Foundation-funded research (1992–1993), McCormick Tribune Foundation funding (1995), and multiple visiting roles at Harvard, Cambridge, and the Brookings Institution.

Labs/teams: IDDP (founded 2019), Public Diplomacy Institute, and collaborative projects with NDU Press and the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. His consulting spans UN agencies, governments, and NGOs on media strategies and public opinion dynamics.