Call for Applications: Constitutional Accountability Center Scholar-in-Residence program 2025-26

Via the Constitutional Accountability Center ("a nonprofit, public interest law firm and think tank dedicated to making real the progressive promise of our Constitution’s text, history, and values"), we have the following posting:

CAC invites applications for its 2025-2026 Scholar-in-Residence program. CAC’s Scholar-in-Residence will work independently on research and writing on a topic of mutual interest, for one year, while participating in the life of CAC’s ongoing work in litigation, joint scholarship, communications, and collaboration with progressive movement partners.  During this year, the Scholar-in-Residence may work remotely, but would also be expected to come to CAC’s office in Washington, DC on occasion throughout the residency. 

Constitutional scholarship is the foundation of CAC’s work. Our scholarship shows that across a broad range of key issues, the Constitution’s text and history command progressive results. CAC’s scholarly work provides the deep historical support that makes our legal arguments stand out, and builds a comprehensive narrative of the Constitution that is necessary to achieve lasting victories.

This scholar-in-residence program will provide the selected candidate an unprecedented opportunity to work on a project in an area that is congruent with the focus of CAC’s mission, including (but not limited to) Constitutional and Legal Studies, History, Political Science, African-American Studies, and the humanities more generally. Potential projects could focus on such subjects as lifting up often neglected voices in the constitutional story (for example, Black, Native American, and immigrant activists who helped shape the Constitution); the ways that structural reforms might better align our institutions toward democratic values and genuine inclusion; or the exploration of broader Constitutional understandings in advance of the upcoming 2026 commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, among others.

Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:

Conduct research and scholarship in a field of inquiry that intersects with CAC’s mission;Produce written products that could include, but are not limited to, law review articles or other scholarly essays, and articles in popular media such as The New York Times and The Atlantic;Brief CAC staff on research progress, and help inform the direction of CAC’s existing scholarship;Give two public presentations at (in person or virtual) events to educate the public and organizational partners about research progress and findings.

The Scholar-in-Residence will work in collaboration with CAC’s Director of Human Rights, Civil Rights, and Citizenship, within the CAC Think Tank.  

More information is available here.

-- Karen Tani