Assistant Research Professor

Position description

The Georgetown Americas Institute (americas.georgetown.edu), in tandem with the Georgetown University Center for Latin American Studies (clas.georgetown.edu), are pleased to offer an Assistant Research Professor (ARP) (non-tenure line) position for the period from August 2025 to March 2026 in association with their joint research project on "Democratic Backsliding in Latin America". The ARP will be welcomed into Georgetown University's academic community and encouraged to attend and participate in events, activities, and the intellectual life of the university.

Project Description 

The Americas are experiencing a new "wave" of democratic destabilization. The scope and contours of this phenomenon differ dramatically from those of the past. For instance, in many contexts, democratically elected leaders with populist tendencies, drawing on ideologies that span the political spectrum, chip away at democracy's institutional foundations and engage in and encourage the flouting of its core practices. While the Executive has played an outsized role in rolling back democracy in some countries, emboldened legislatures have played a critical role in hindering governance and hollowing out democratic institutions in others, and other actors contribute to democratic backsliding as well. Simultaneously, other institutions and individuals seek to prevent and resist democratic erosion. The Georgetown Americas Institute and the Georgetown University Center for Latin American Studies are partnering to create a joint research program examining the contours, causes, and consequences of these phenomena in Latin America. The program will involve empirical research; private workshops and public convenings; the generation of white papers outlining actionable proposals for addressing backsliding; and the development of research papers for submission to peer-reviewed journals. We will seek internal and external funding to support these efforts. 

Eligibility

Applicants for the ARP position must have completed a Ph.D. in political science or a closely related discipline by May 2025. 

Appointment Period, Position Type, Location, Remuneration, and Benefits

• Appointment period: seven months (August 15, 2025 through March 15, 2026)
• Part-time (approximately 15 hours/week)
• It is preferred, but not required, that the ARP be in residence in the Washington, DC area.
• The position provides a stipend of $27,000 over the course of the appointment.
• ARP's are provided with a Georgetown University NetID and afforded access to Georgetown University systems, email, and library resources; and use of an office in Georgetown's Department of Government.
• ARP's are eligible to participate in certain employee-funded benefit plans administered through the Office of Faculty and Staff Benefits. Current versions of the benefits policies and information about the plan offerings are available at ttps://benefits.georgetown.edu

Responsibilities and Opportunities

• Serve as academic coordinator of the research project and lead the research team comprising Georgetown students and faculty
• Envision, help to organize, and participate in two international workshops and one international conference related to the project
• Contribute to grant proposals to support the project's further development
• Contribute to the writing of research notes, white papers, and research papers for submission to peer-reviewed journals related to the project

Application instructions

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