Program Overview The Technology and Human Rights Fellowship at the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights, Harvard Kennedy School, is a flagship initiative examining how technological developments are reshaping human life, democratic governance, and human rights protections. Established as a long-running program under the leadership of the Center’s Director, Professor Mathias Risse, the Fellowship has historically convened between 10 and 15 fellows annually in a virtual format, complemented by conferences, convenings, and the webinar series Towards Life 3.0: Ethics and Technology. Beginning in the 2024–2025 academic year, the Fellowship transitioned into a focused, multi-year intellectual project centered on three defining questions of the digital age: Surveillance capitalism or democracy? Who knows? Who decides? Since adopting this framework, the Fellowship has brought together exceptional interdisciplinary expertise and has positioned itself as a leading academic home for addressing the most urgent challenges at the intersection of technology, power, and human rights. All Fellowship appointments are for one academic year, running from September 1 to June 30. Fellowships are unfunded, though limited shared office space may be available during short-term visits to the Cambridge/Boston area. Applications for the 2026–2027 cohort are open, with a deadline of February 22, 2026. Fellowship Leadership and Intellectual Focus The Fellowship is jointly directed by Professor Mathias Risse and Professor Shoshana Zuboff, two leading thinkers in political theory, digital ethics, and surveillance studies. Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that engage directly with: Zuboff’s The Age of Surveillance Capitalism (2019) Zuboff’s 2022 paper, Surveillance Capitalism or Democracy: The Deathmatch of Institutional Orders Risse’s Political Theory of the Digital Age (2023) The Fellowship welcomes projects that critically examine the economic, political, epistemic, and moral implications of digital technologies, particularly those that illuminate how surveillance, artificial intelligence, and data extraction challenge democratic institutions and human agency. Eligibility and Ideal Candidates The Technology and Human Rights Fellowship is open to applicants from a wide range of disciplines and professional backgrounds. Past Fellows have included: Post-doctoral researchers and academic scholars Faculty members on sabbatical Human rights advocates and practitioners Senior leaders in international organizations Established professionals from fields such as law, healthcare, journalism, education, and public policy The Fellowship welcomes early-career, mid-career, and senior scholars and practitioners whose research, theory, or applied work aligns with the Fellowship’s intellectual priorities and long-term objectives. Fellowship Activities and Structure Fellows participate in a structured yet flexible program designed to foster deep intellectual engagement and collaborative development. Key activities include: Virtual cohort meetings held twice monthly, focused on Fellows’ research and shared thematic inquiry On-campus convenings once per semester, featuring workshops, presentations, and collaborative sessions Group discussions centered on works-in-progress as projects advance toward publication Travel subsidies are provided to support on-campus participation. Fellows who are in residence may also engage more broadly with Harvard Kennedy School by auditing courses, meeting faculty and visiting experts, leading student study groups, and participating in interdisciplinary events across Harvard University. Conceptual Foundations of the Fellowship The Fellowship is grounded in a critical examination of the evolution of surveillance and power in the digital age. From George Orwell’s 1984 to the rise of data-driven economic systems in the early 2000s, technological progress has transformed how individuals are known, governed, and influenced. Shoshana Zuboff’s work identifies surveillance capitalism as a new economic logic built on the large-scale extraction and monetization of human experience. This system enables unprecedented concentrations of wealth, knowledge, and power while undermining autonomy, democratic governance, and epistemic agency. As Zuboff argues, societies face a fundamental choice between surveillance capitalism and democracy. Mathias Risse’s Political Theory of the Digital Age complements this analysis by situating artificial intelligence and digital technologies within broader philosophical debates about democracy, justice, human rights, and the meaning of life. Together, these frameworks guide the Fellowship’s inquiry into how digital infrastructures are reshaping the human future. Fellowship Proposal Requirements Applicants must submit a complete proposal package, including: A research proposal of up to three pages, outlining: Background, context, and time horizon of the research problem Alignment with Carr-Ryan Center priorities Anticipated impact and applicant qualifications An executive summary of up to 200 words Contact information for two references A relevant writing sample of up to five pages A list of prior publications, with links or up to three attachments Applications must be submitted by February 22, 2026, for the 2026–2027 cohort. VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram , WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn and Telegram Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this fellowship. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. 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