Lance Bennett

Lance Bennett, Professor, received his Ph.D. in political science from Yale University in 1974, and has taught since then at the University of Washington, where he is Ruddick C. Lawrence Professor Communication and Professor of Political Science. He is also founder and director of the Center for Communication and Civic Engagement. The Center is dedicated to understanding how communication processes and technologies can enhance citizen engagement with social life, politics, and global affairs. Bennett has lectured internationally on the importance of media and information systems in civic life. His current research interests include: press-government relations and the quality of public information, strategic communication campaigns, communication and the organization of social movements, transnational activism, and digital media and youth civic engagement. An ongoing area of research and public scholarship is Civic Learning Online, a project that can be viewed at www.engagedyouth.org