Postdoctoral Fellow, Intellectual Pluralism Scholarly Habitus

Postdoctoral Fellow, Intellectual Pluralism and the Scholarly Habitus

The Postdoctoral Fellow will work on a project directed by Professors Michèle Lamont and Neil Gross, within a new Interdisciplinary Research Collaborative at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute focused on intellectual pluralism and the changing scholarly habitus in higher education. This Collaborative brings together an interdisciplinary group of scholars to examine how professors and students understand and navigate political similarity and difference;

how they interpret and practice academic freedom; how they manage the boundary between their roles as scholars and as citizens; and how these dynamics shape research, teaching, student experience, and the production and circulation of knowledge. Drawing on survey and qualitative methods, and informed by scholarship in sociology, anthropology, political science, history, STS, and related fields, the project will generate new empirical evidence and conceptual tools to inform both scholarly debates and public discourse on intellectual diversity and higher education.

Responsibilities include contributing to research design and implementation, coordinating and supporting data collection, analyzing quantitative data, co-authoring scholarly outputs, participating in project meetings and events, and helping translate research findings for broader audiences.

Basic qualifications include a PhD in sociology, political science or higher education, with a strong background in social survey analysis and quantitative methods. Additional qualifications include a record of research and publication relevant to the project's themes, experience with large-scale survey data and/or mixed-methods research, familiarity with debates on academic freedom, campus politics, or the public role of universities in the US context, and strong writing and communication skills.

This is a half-time (50%
FTE) postdoctoral appointment, initially for one year beginning on or about July 15, 2026, with the possibility of renewal for up to a total of three years, contingent on performance and funding. The postdoctoral fellow will be eligible for Harvard's subsidized, comprehensive benefits package.

Applications must be submitted by June 15, 2026, to receive full consideration. Letters of recommendation may be submitted until June 21, 2026. A complete application includes a cover letter, curriculum vitae, research statement, one writing sample, and three letters of recommendation.