About

Lisa Schirch serves as the Richard G. Starmann, Sr., Professor of the Practice of Peace Studies at the Keough School of Global Affairs, where she is a core faculty member of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. An internationally recognized scholar and practitioner with more than 30 years of experience, Schirch specializes in peacebuilding, social cohesion, and the intersection of technology and democracy.

A political scientist and senior research fellow with the Toda Peace Institute, Schirch directs the Institute’s “Social Media, Technology and Peacebuilding” program, focusing extensively on how digital technologies shape democratic processes. Her recent research highlights the dual role of social media – both as a vector for polarization and as a potential tool for building trust and civic engagement. Her most recent book, Social Media Impacts on Conflict and Democracy: The Tech-tonic Shift (2021), presents case studies from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, analyzing how digital platforms influence democratic discourse and offering solutions for leveraging tech to strengthen democratic institutions.

Schirch co-founded the Council on Technology and Social Cohesion and advocates for “prosocial technology” – digital tools intentionally designed to foster inclusive dialogue, bridge divides, and defend democracy from rising misinformation and polarization. Her work demonstrates how deliberative technologies can synthesize broad public input, generate consensus, and support more resilient democratic governance.

Beyond her scholarship, Schirch’s practice spans 20 countries, including support for democracy activists in Latin America and facilitating civil society participation in peace processes in places such as Afghanistan and Fiji. Her dedication to democracy, social justice, and innovative peacebuilding has established her as a leading voice at the intersection of technology, dialogue, and democratic renewal. 

Schirch holds a PhD from George Mason University's Carter Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution.

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