Brian Coyne

The Stanford University Political Science Department is seeking up to two postdoctoral fellows for the 2027–2028 academic year as part of the Stanford Civics Initiative. The fellowship combines research, teaching, and participation in the department’s intellectual life, with fellows expected to be active members of the broader Stanford community. Research and teaching are closely integrated in this postdoctoral role. Fellows will conduct their own work while contributing to undergraduate instruction across topics connected to democratic citizenship, political history, political economy, and the history of political thought. The position is designed to support the Stanford Civics Initiative’s aim of strengthening and diversifying scholarship on the moral and philosophical foundations of civic life. Fellows will take part in the weekly Political Theory workshop and present in-progress research, alongside teaching or assisting with two or three classes over the course of the year. One quarter each year is free from teaching duties, allowing dedicated time for scholarship. The courses may also contribute to Stanford’s new Minor in Civic Thought and Practice. The appointment is housed in Stanford’s Political Science Department, within the Stanford Civics Initiative, which sits at the intersection of teaching, research, and public-facing civic education. The postdoctoral fellows will play an integral role in advancing that intellectual agenda through both scholarship and classroom engagement.