The Civic Studies Program at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, in partnership with the Center for Expanding Viewpoints in Higher Education (CEVIHE), seeks to host a Postdoctoral Fellow. Please see this announcement for details.

This postdoc’s research and teaching will focus on one of two broad areas:

• The first area concerns how people speak and listen to those with whom they disagree on controversial issues, and how such dialogue can be improved. This line of inquiry may be of particular interest to scholars in psychology, communications, political science, and related fields.
• The second area examines what makes certain types of intellectual work influential and well supported within the academy, while others remain marginal. It asks how such differences ought to be evaluated and addressed, under what conditions a body of thought can be considered improperly marginalized, and what responses may be warranted. These questions may be especially relevant to sociologists of knowledge, philosophers, political theorists, and scholars of Science and Technology Studies, among others.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will teach two courses in these areas. These courses may include seminars designed to introduce students to recent research and central debates about pluralism and intellectual diversity. The courses may be cross-listed in other relevant departments. The position offers an opportunity to develop an independent research program while gaining teaching experience in a supportive academic environment. The fellow will be encouraged to participate in Tisch College seminars, workshops, and collaborative research activities.

The appointment is for one year, with the possibility of renewal based on performance, funding, and mutual agreement.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning April 13, 2026, and the position will remain open until filled. The hiring range for this position is $65,000-$75,000, commensurate with experience.

The Postdoctoral Fellowship in Civic Studies is supported by CEVIHE, which seeks to cultivate early-career scholars whose teaching and research broaden the range of ideas represented in their disciplines and strengthen Tufts’ culture of open inquiry. The Center is committed to renewing the university’s intellectual mission by fostering a culture of engagement across ideological, religious, and cultural differences.

The fellow will maintain their offices at CEVIHE, where they will be part of a cohort of postdoctoral fellows representing various departments and programs. The fellow will be supported by a dual-mentor structure, including a faculty mentor in the Tisch College and a CEVIHE faculty mentor, to support research, teaching, and professional development. Fellows are expected to work in person at least four days a week and contribute to the CEVIHE community through attendance at a weekly lunch series, informal mentorship of undergraduates, and participation in occasional Center events.

What We’re Looking For

• Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in a relevant field by the start of the appointment, with demonstrated research and teaching interests in civic studies. We are particularly interested in candidates whose work engages questions related to dialogue across disagreement or the dynamics of intellectual inclusion and marginalization within the academy.
• Successful applicants will exhibit a capacity for rigorous, interdisciplinary inquiry and a commitment to fostering open, constructive engagement with contested ideas in both research and the classroom.

The Kettering Foundation will host a Summer Institute of Civic Studies at the Foundation’s Dayton, OH campus from Sunday, August 2 to Saturday, August 8, 2026. This will be an opportunity for scholars and practitioners to learn and connect with each other and with collaborators and partners in Dayton.

I will be present and part of the first two days. I am grateful to my colleagues at Kettering for their leadership of this institute. The rest of this post is pasted from their website.

Summer Institute of Civic Studies (SICS)

SICS are intensive interdisciplinary seminars that bring together faculty, advanced graduate students, and practitioners from diverse areas that may include but are not limited to higher education, nonprofits, philanthropies, community work, as well as civic and religious leaders. Participants will read a selection of articles and chapters that will be shared and available prior to the Institute. Participants should plan on 10– 15 hours of pre-SICS preparation time.

The SICS week involves seminar-style discussion groups as well as visits with our friends and neighbors in the Dayton community who are working at the intersection of civic life, community, and democracy. The 2026 Dayton SICS is in-person only.

SICS Goals

The goal of this SICS is an immersive experience in the literature and practices of civic studies, as well as the creation of connections and a learning community. Together, we can explore what it means to live well together, how to solve problems together, and collectively imagine how we can create safe, just, democratic, and inclusive communities now and in the future.

SICS Framing Questions

Central questions that participants will explore include the following:

• How can people work together to improve the world?
• What helps voluntary groups to function and succeed?
• How can people address disagreements about values?
• How can groups address disparities of power?
• What practices and institutional structures promote civic engagement and civic
• values?
• How should we consider and combine facts, values, and strategies?

SICS History

The Summer Institute was taught from 2009 to 2019 by Peter Levine, associate dean of academic affairs at Tisch College and Kettering Foundation board member, and Karol So?tan, now retired from the University of Maryland. Since 2019, the Institute has been hosted in several locations, including Chernivtsi and Kyiv, Ukraine; Munich and Augsburg, Germany; Madrid, Spain; and James Madison University in Virginia. You can read more about previous SICS here.

The Institute was shaped by the Civic Studies Framing Statement created in 2007 by leaders and scholars working at the intersection of civic, community, and democratic studies, including Harry Boyte, Stephen Elkin, Peter Levine, Jane Mansbridge, Elinor Ostrom, Karol So?ttan, and Rogers Smith.

Who Should Apply?

The common thread for participants is a desire to deeply engage in the literature of civic studies, democracy, and community building; to learn and grow; to connect with others and be part of a community of civic studies practitioners and scholars; and to understand and strengthen civic politics, initiatives, capacity, society, and culture.

The Summer Institute of Civic Studies will take place in Dayton, Ohio, and is in-person only. Participation requires arrival in Dayton by 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 2, and departure after 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 8. Participants agree that if they accept the invitation to participate, they are committed to taking part in the entire week’s activities.

Participants should feel comfortable with 10–15 hours of pre-SICS reading and preparation time, as well as with seminar-style discussions for 3–6 hours a day (withplenty of breaks!).

Cost

Participation in the SICS is free. All food for the week will be provided. Participants willbe responsible for their own travel and lodging. There are limited travel and lodgingstipends available based on need and demand.

Barriers to Participation

We acknowledge that taking a week to attend a seminar and the requirement of in-person attendance presents barriers that will prevent some amazing candidates from being a part of this. That said, we will strive to lessen barriers to participation when possible. We welcome applications from parents and caregivers, as well as those with varying physical, familial, financial, or mental health needs. Accepted applicants will have an opportunity to share any specific needs or issues relevant to their participation. With the caveat that this is an in-person only Institute, we look forward to working with accepted participants to reduce barriers to participation when feasible.

International Applicants

We are happy to accept applications from international applicants but are not able to assist with or offer legal, practical, or financial support related to visas or international travel.

Application Instructions: please see this Kettering Foundation web page.

The Civic Studies program at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life and the Department of Computer Science at Tufts University, in partnership with the Center for Expanding Viewpoints in Higher Education (CEVIHE), seek to host a Postdoctoral Fellow whose research and teaching will focus on using artificial intelligence (AI) to help colleges and universities, other organizations, informal groups, or communities navigate intellectual diversity and debate. The Fellow may develop AI applications, study the impact of existing AI tools, or conduct preliminary research that could lead to applications later, such as tools that combat echo chambers or teach individuals to hear alternative views. The appointment is for one year, with the possibility of renewal based on performance, funding, and mutual agreement.

More information is here. Please direct any questions to Prof. Fahad Dogar of Computer Science at fahad@cs.tufts.edu or to me at peter.levine@tufts.edu