Leonard Steinhorn
Professor
School of Communication
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Additional Positions at AU
Affiliate Professor of History
- Leonard Steinhorn is a full-time professor of Public Communication. His expertise includes American politics, culture and media, strategic communication, the presidency, and recent American history. He is author of The Greater Generation: In Defense of the Baby Boom Legacy, and co-author of By the Color of Our Skin: The Illusion of Integration and the Reality of Race. He has published in books, journals, the Washington Post, Salon, Politico, and International Herald Tribune, among others. Steinhorn was twice named AU Faculty Member of the Year. He serves as political analyst for FOX-5 News in Washington, DC. Before joining the AU faculty, he spent 15 years as a political consultant and speechwriter.
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Degrees
BA History, Vassar College; MA History, Johns Hopkins University - DOWNLOAD FULL BIO (PDF)
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OFFICE
- SOC - School of Communication
- Mary Graydon - 330I
FOR THE MEDIA
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To request an interview for a
news story, call AU Communications
at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.
SEE ALSO
- Video: Baby Boomers - No Apologies
Teaching
Spring 2013
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- COMM-301 Public Relations
- Description
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- HNRS-302 Honors Collqm in Social Sc: The Sixties in America
- Description
Fall 2013
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- COMM-301 Public Relations
- Description
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- COMM-640 Principles of Strategic Comm
- Description
AU Expert
Area of Expertise: Politics, presidency, campaigns, the religious right, American culture, baby boom generation, race relations, social movements, civil rights, public relations, communication, mass media, popular culture
Additional Information: Leonard Steinhorn teaches political communication, public relations, media studies, and courses on American culture and the modern presidency. He is author of the critically acclaimed book The Greater Generation: In Defense of the Baby Boom Legacy (St. Martin's Press, 2006), and he is coauthor of the highly regarded By the Color of Our Skin: The Illusion of Integration and the Reality of Race (1999). Steinhorn writes and lectures frequently about politics, presidential campaigns, race relations, social movements, American history, youth issues, generations, mass media, and trends in American culture. His work has appeared in books and scholarly publications as well as in magazines and newspapers including Salon.com, the Washington Post, Politico, International Herald Tribune, Baltimore Sun, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. From 1999 to 2001, he was a contributing editor of the Internet political journal TomPaine.com. In 2001 he joined the board of the history and politics Internet site HistoryNewsNetwork.org, where he regularly blogs and contributes articles. In 2010, he cofounded the new commentary site for speechwriters, PunditWire.com, where he contributes regular columns. He comments regularly in the media on the presidency, political campaigns, and the media's role in politics and elections. CBS News, MSNBC, CNN, NBC, Fox, PBS, NPR, WTOP, BBC, AP, and the Washington Post, Boston Globe, and Los Angeles Times have quoted him, and he is the political analyst for Washington, D.C.'s, FOX-5 News. Before joining American University, he was a campaign and congressional speechwriter, political consultant, and an advocate for human rights, civil liberties, and racial tolerance. His previous positions included speechwriter for the House Judiciary Committee and editor of the religious-right monitoring newsletter, Right Wing Watch. Steinhorn's approach to teaching became internationally visible when CNN came weekly to cover his course on the 2000 election, Presidential Campaign 2000: Inside the War Room and the Newsroom. The course was covered by Washington, D.C.’s, NBC affiliate and FOX-5 during the 2004 and 2008 elections, respectively. Steinhorn was twice named AU Faculty Member of the Year; he also has been named AU's Honors Professor of the Year; and from 2002 to 2004 he served as president of AU's Phi Beta Kappa chapter.
Media Relations
To request an interview please call AU Media Relations at 202-885-5950 or
submit an interview request form.
MEDIA RELATIONS
- AU Media Relations
- All AU Faculty Experts
AU News and Achievements
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Chris Matthews Joins AU for JFK Speech Panel
The Hardball host paid tribute to JFK's "A Strategy of Peace" speech at SOC's event. ...
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AU Experts Analyze Obama's Re-Election
In the wake of President Obama's victory, AU experts examine campaign wins and losses. ...
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Class on the ‘60’s Includes Baby Boomer
Film Festival
The transformative influence of Baby Boomers is the focus of Lenny Steinhorn's course and a series of ...
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AU Launches MA in Political Communication
When Dotty Lynch, the former CBS senior political editor and current executive in residence at American ...
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Al-Ghabra Takes Skills to Prime Minister's Office in Kuwait
SOC alumna Haneen Al-Ghabra has used her education to create a space for women as equal partners in ...
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"PunditWire" Gives Speechwriters a Soapbox
Political speechwriters are accustomed to having their words and work associated with others. But now, ...
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Presidents' Wordsmiths Share Secrets of Success
Ragan sponsors the annual conference of corporate and political speechwriters with the Public Relations ...
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5 Things to Watch for in State of the Union Speech
AU experts analyze issues facing the nation and discuss areas that President Obama should be focusing ...
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Political Communication MA Offers Best of Both Worlds
A great program for future communication directors, political pollsters, media consultants, public affairs ...
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Thesis Details How to Rebuild Public Trust in Government
“Arliene really made her mark at AU. I look forward to seeing this proposal put into action," says professor ...
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Lights, Camera, Politics
Campaign U, Inside the War Room and the Newsroom gives politically engaged AU students the ...
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AU Experts Weigh In on Health-Care Bill
A look at the financing, next steps, and impact of the newly passed health-care bill....
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Three Great Fall Film Series at SOC
Film is a powerful way to connect people and tackle important cultural and political issues. That's ...
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SOC Hosts International Sustainability Leaders
Business leaders from 25 international corporations gathered at American University in early June for ...
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JFK's AU Speech: 50 Years Forward on Peace
A direct thread runs from President John F. Kennedy’s speech through President Barack Obama’s agenda ...
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