Future of Democracy, Conflict and War Postdoctoral Fellowship (2025‐ 2027)
The AEC and the IEET are excited to invite applications for a full-time Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship int the Future of Democracy, Conflict and War at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The post is fixed-term for 24 months from the date of appointment.
Artificial intelligence is already having dramatic impacts on democratic institutions, citizen participation and social conflict. The Fellow will explore some of the following questions: Does AI pose unique risks to the health of our democracy, and how can it strengthen citizen participation? How do weaponized AI applications in social media threaten democracy and national security? How will authoritarian regimes use AI, as China is doing with its social credit system? How does the introduction of lethal autonomous robots and other AI-driven weaponry influence the way in which we understand war and inter-group conflict? How does AI change the culture of war and our traditional understanding of military power?
Responsibilities
The Future of Democracy, Conflict and War Fellow will be expected to teach one course per semester, write academic articles for publication and present at relevant conferences in consultation with the AEC and IEET. The Fellowship will be capped by a conference on The Future of Democracy, Conflict and War to be held at the University of Massachusetts Boston in the Fall of 2027. The Fellow will work with the AEC and IEET to plan and organize the 2027 conference, and on conference-related publications.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have a PhD and a strong publication record in philosophy, law, computer science, a social scientific discipline, or related fields, and a demonstrated interest in the social, ethical, legal and/or economic impacts of emerging technologies on democratic processes, terrorism and/or war. Experience conducting interdisciplinary research is a plus.
About the Applied Ethics Center at UMass Boston
The Applied Ethics Center (AEC) is located in the Philosophy Department at the University of Massachusetts Boston (www.umb.edu/ethics), and promotes research, teaching, and awareness of ethics in public life. Through public conversations, specialized courses, and research projects, the center creates a forum for exploring topics ranging from the meaning of artificial Intelligence to the ethics of fighting terrorism to the status of controversial public monuments.
The AEC is directed by associate professor of philosophy Nir Eisikovits. Before coming to UMass Boston Professor Eisikovits was associate professor of legal and political philosophy at Suffolk University, where he co-founded and directed the Graduate Program in Ethics and Public Policy. He writes on the ethics of war, transitional justice and on how societies come to terms with their past.
Apply now
Candidates should email (director@ieet.org) a CV, a cover letter, and a short research proposal (no more than 800 words) as part of their application. Applications received through any other channel will not be considered.
The closing date for applications is November 15 2024. Interviews will take place in January and February of 2025, with decisions made by the end of March. The position starts in September 2025. Please contact director@ieet.org with questions about the role or application process. This two-year appointment has a Boston residency requirement.
Deadline to apply: November 15, 2024
Start Date: September 2025
Stipend: $50,000 per year