Postdoctoral Fellows - Digital Technology for Democracy Lab

The Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia (UVA) invites applications for postdoctoral fellows who will be part of the Digital Technology for Democracy Lab. These two-year fellowships will begin in August of 2024 and run through August 2026. We are seeking to build a transdisciplinary inaugural cohort of fellows who will play a key role in animating this pan-university project spanning across all thirteen UVA schools.

We are interested in work on the intersections of Democracy and Digital Technology, broadly conceived, and open to a wide range of disciplines, methods and approaches as well as scholarly output. Examples include but are not limited to critical data studies of technology; social science and humanities research on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), including AI and ML accountability, transparency, and fairness as well as computational and mathematical approaches to political and social issues; science and technology studies; history of science and technology; technology law and policy; data governance; equity and justice-oriented work on technology and the democratic process; community organizing, collective action, and online activism; journalism and media policy; digital rights; and, the role of digital technology in free expression, access to information, and participation in democratic processes. We are eager to bring in a cohort addressing these issues at global, regional, and local levels.

We seek a broad range of viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences and particularly encourage applicants from under-represented groups to apply. We welcome applications from all over the world. The lab will work through the UVA International Studies Office to sponsor visas as needed.

The Digital Technology for Democracy Lab at the University of Virginia works to explore how rapidly evolving digital technologies can challenge, but also fortify democratic institutions and practices. We seek to create collaboration and exchange between academia and thought-leaders, technologists, policy makers, activists, civil society organizations, artists, designers and others, taking a broadly transdisciplinary and global approach.

The Lab is supported by a Grand Challenge research investment in Digital Technology and Society which will also be funding faculty hires and a range of other projects across UVA.

In addition to actively pursuing their own research projects, fellows will be an integral part of the Digital Technology for Democracy Lab. They are expected to participate in Lab-sponsored seminars and workshops; actively engage with the community of scholars formed by a cohort of fellows, Lab Faculty Leads, and other affiliated faculty; and, contribute to Lab-sponsored initiatives (such as white papers, or other forms of intellectual output). We will also connect fellows with relevant departments, units and schools at UVA to support their work and engagement with colleagues during their fellowship period. Fellows will be part of a broader community at the Karsh Institute of Democracy, and be included in professional development activities offered to postdoctoral fellows at UVA.  

The applications will be evaluated by the current Faculty Leads for the Lab: Steven Johnson, McIntire School of Commerce; Mona Kasra, Department of Art & Drama, Department of Drama; Aynne Kokas, Department of Media Studies; David Nemer, Department of Media Studies; Jess Reia, School of Data Science; Bertrall Ross, School of Law; and Mona Sloane, School of Data Science & Department of Media Studies.

The annual salary for each position is $65,000 with additional research funding of $5,000 per year. In addition to salary and research funding, standard UVA resources will be provided, including healthcare, computing resources, and access to library support and VIVA-negotiated collective agreements that lower or eliminate APCs with select publishers.

Applicants must have their Ph.D., J.D., S.J.D. or equivalent degree in hand by the beginning of the fellowship, and should submit their application materials by January 15, 2024, with an expectation of final decisions made by March 1st, 2024.

• A cover letter (not to exceed 2 single-spaced pages) describing your scholarly areas of focus and the reasons for your interest in being a fellow in the Digital Technology for Democracy Lab

• A CV

• A sample of your work (examples include but are not limited to a dissertation chapter, published article, white paper or policy study or portfolio of artistic or digital work)

• A description (not to exceed 1 single-spaced page) of the scholarly work to be pursued dur