The Karsh Institute works tirelessly to understand, defend, and invigorate the institutions, practices, and cultural underpinnings that are the foundations of democracy. Through all our work—robust interdisciplinary scholarship, research and teaching, and vibrant programs and partnerships designed to engage the public and influence policy agendas—we are shaping a thriving democratic future.
Check this page frequently to learn about new job openings, calls for proposals, student positions, and other opportunities at the Karsh Institute of Democracy.
Karsh Institute Civic Cornerstone Fellowship
Deadline: January 11, 2026 (11:59 PM)
In a hyper-partisan political climate, it can be hard to be engaged, especially with people who hold opposing viewpoints. The Civic Cornerstone Fellowship was designed to address this challenge. This fall, the program has brought together nearly 400 UVA undergraduate and graduate students from all backgrounds and with a diverse range of views for a monthly series of conversations. Students can apply now to become a fellow for the spring semester (applications are open through January 4, 2026, at 11:59 PM).
This program is hosted by the Karsh Institute of Democracy in partnership with UVA’s Student Affairs, Contemplative Sciences Center, College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Darden School of Business, Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, Public Service Pathways, School of Data Science, and School of Education and Human Development. >>APPLY
UVA Grad Students: 'Borders and Boundaries'
Karsh Institute of Democracy / DEM 7500 Fall 2025–DEM 7501 Spring 2026
Taught by Paulina Ochoa Espejo, John L. Nau III Professor of the History and Principles of Democracy
Students will each receive a $1,500 research stipend and will become fellows of the Nau Lab for the 2025–2026 academic year
Borders and boundaries are central to the modern world. But why do they matter so much? Why is it so hard to cross them, open them, or get rid of them? This interdisciplinary graduate course will ask these questions about territorial borders—and other boundaries. These questions challenge assumptions about immigration and the differences between natives and aliens, but they also show how national and territorial borders relate to other conceptual divides, such as those between nature and culture, the sacred and the profane, or civilization and barbarism. How have these distinctions shaped the modern state’s views on controlling territory? How do these boundaries shape colonialism, membership, sovereignty, the unity of the nation state? And how do they mold our thinking about the rights of indigenous peoples and of the Earth, or about the limits between the human and non-human worlds?
We will seek answers to those questions from the viewpoints of several disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. >>READ MORE
Call for Proposals: UVA Gun Violence Solutions Project Research Subcommittee 2026 Grant Program
Deadlines:
- Faculty collaborative grants: December 15, 2025
- Full faculty collaborative grants and seed project grants: January 23, 2026
The UVA Gun Violence Solutions Project (GVSP) Research Subcommittee invites proposals for individual or collaborative projects to begin in February 2026. Grantmaking in 2025–2026 will support the Gun Violence Solutions Project’s vision of a transdisciplinary research community, leveraging the University’s array of expertise and excellence to address gun violence in our community, the Commonwealth, and beyond. The GVSP’s research mission is to foster actionable research outcomes and practicable interventions through activities including research, implementation, and evaluation. >>READ MORE