Deadline: January 5, 2025
Applications are open for the Carr Center Technology and Human Rights Fellowship 2025-2026. The Carr Center’s Technology and Human Rights Fellowship is a key initiative exploring how technological progress will shape the future of human life and impact human rights protections.
They invite candidates to join the Center for an academic year to research the ethical and rights implications of technological advancements, with a specific focus on artificial intelligence. Note that Technology and Human Rights Fellowships are not funded. All fellowship terms are one academic year (September 1-June 30).
Research Theme for 2025–2026 Cohort: Surveillance Capitalism or Democracy?
The 2025–2026 Technology & Human Rights Fellowship cohort will be composed of scholars and practitioners who work on the theme of “Surveillance Capitalism or Democracy: Who Knows, Who Decides?” We seek projects that connect to the research programs in Shoshana Zuboff’s 2019 book, The Age Surveillance Capitalism, and Mathias Risse’s 2023 book, Political Theory of the Digital Age. They take a special interest in projects related to the “unified field theory” outlined by Zuboff in her 2022 Organization Theory paper, “Surveillance Capitalism or Democracy? The Death Match of Institutional Orders and the Politics of Knowledge in our Information Civilization.”
This fellowship theme, jointly directed by Mathias Risse and Shoshana Zuboff, invites applicants from various approaches and disciplines to affiliate with the Center for a year of research. The fellowship year will also feature activities centered around the theme “Surveillance Capitalism or Democracy,” including events commemorating the fifth anniversary of Zuboff’s book.
Fellowship
- This unpaid fellowship spans one academic year, primarily as a non-residential position. While limited shared office space may be offered for residents, occasional access to shared office facilities is possible for those visiting the Cambridge/Boston area.
- Fellows are required to attend Cambridge, MA once per semester to exchange ideas, present their work to the Carr Center and the broader Kennedy School community, and participate in relevant presentations, trainings, or workshops. Limited travel subsidies may be provided for those in need.
Eligibility
- Fellows can be post-docs, scholars, academics on sabbatical, human rights defenders, senior leaders in international organizations, or heads of human rights organizations. Fellow projects must align closely with the research and programming priorities of the Center.
- They welcome both emerging and established scholars and practitioners whose research and practice are aligned with the Center’s priorities. Fellows can focus on research and writing, auditing classes, meeting faculty and other experts, leading study groups for students, and participating in other learning opportunities at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Application
The following items should be included in your application:
- Resume/CV
- Project proposal that outlines the background or context, the nature of the problem, the time horizon for the problem, the proposed nature of your research project or intervention (including how it fits with the Carr Center’s work), the anticipated impact, and your qualifications (up to 3 pages)
- Executive summary of proposal (up to 200 words)
- The contact information for two references who can comment on your ability to complete the proposed research. These individuals may be contacted by the Carr Center and need not submit documentation unless asked.
- Relevant writing sample (up to 5 pages)
- A list of prior publications (with links or up to 3 attachments)
For more information, visit Technology and Human Rights Fellowship.
