Our Mission

To study the implications of Internet governance approaches for society and the global economy, to advance the marketplace of ideas with original research, to inform policymakers and the public, and to train the next generation of thought leaders in this area.
 

Internet policy debates rank among the most important public policy areas of the 21st century, shaping civil liberties, human rights, access and inclusion, and economic development across the globe. American University is globally known for housing some of the world’s leading scholars whose work has helped theorize and shape the scholarly field of Internet governance over the past decades.

Professors Derrick Cogburn, Laura DeNardis, and Nanette Levinson launched the Internet Governance Lab in 2016 as an interdisciplinary endeavor at American University. Currently, Faculty Directors, Dr. Derrick Cogburn and Dr. Nanette Levinson, together with Faculty Fellows and non-resident Global Scholars, all internationally recognized experts in this field, and their students draw from disciplines as diverse as business, communication, computer science, engineering, international affairs, law, political science, and sociology to conduct research on how the design and administration of Internet/cyber technologies shape public policy across the globe.

The Lab conducts policy-engaged research on digital infrastructure and governance in support of a free and open Internet.