Professional Affiliation

Advisor, Strider Technologies

Expert Bio

Robin Shepherd is writing a book on democracy in the digital revolution focused on re-aligning 21st century political structures, notions of citizenship, security strategy, and global competition with all aspects of the rapidly evolving digital architecture.

He has held multiple senior positions and fellowships at leading public policy institutions in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States for more than two decades. Shepherd has written and spoken extensively on democracy, security, and technology with particular reference to the United States, NATO, Russia, central and eastern Europe, the European Union, the Middle East, and China.

Prior to entering the think tank world, he was the Moscow Bureau Chief for the Times of London and speaks Russian, Slovak, Czech, Ukrainian, and French.

He has a Masters in Political Theory from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Expertise

• Cold War
• Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
• Democracy
• Economic & Globalization
• Global Governance
• Governance
• Human Rights
• Science and Technology
• Security and Defense
• Society and Culture
• U.S. Politics

Wilson Center Project

Democracy and the Digital Revolution

Project Summary

Shepherd will work with the Science and Technology Innovation Program to both broaden policy makers’ and the public’s understanding of the nexus between the digital revolution and democracy, as well as to provide practical applications to the opportunities and the challenges that this evolving relationship creates.

A central ambition of this project is to bridge the divide between the worlds of tech and democratic politics – the subject also of a book Shepherd will be writing during his tenure as a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center.

Shepherd will enhance relationships between the Wilson Center and cutting-edge tech companies, and assist in the formulation of fund-raising proposals related to this project and also the wider interests of the Science and Technology Innovation Program.

Major Publications

1. China Vs Democracy: The Greatest Game (Washington DC, Amazon, 2020)
2. A State Beyond the Pale: Europe’s Problem with Israel (London, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2010)
3. Czechoslovakia: The Velvet Revolution and Beyond (Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2000)

Previous Terms

Public Policy Scholar: 2003-2004: "New Europe for the New World?"