Research & Design Studio

The Research & Design Studio is the Center’s hub for innovation at the intersection of scholarship and practice. The Studio explores and strengthens civil discourse in higher education and public life by bringing together faculty, students, and civic leaders to study how we engage across difference. Through interdisciplinary research, hands-on experimentation, and campus-wide collaboration, the Studio aims to transform big questions into practical insights and effective tools that help make that engagement more meaningful and inclusive. 

Research & Design Studio Fellowship Applications Open Now!

The Center invites applications for the Research & Design Studio’s Ethics and Civics Postdoctoral Fellowship. This fellowship is designed to help a new generation of thinkers and practitioners translate ethical reflection and scholarship into practical contributions for academia and public life. The deadline to submit an application is November 15, 2026 | 11:59 PM (ET).

Learn more and apply here

Learn About Our Work

Research
One of the aims of the Research & Design Studio is to bring together scholars, practitioners, and students to critically examine—and actively shape—the evolving landscape of civil discourse in higher education and democratic life. Grounded in...
David Kidd presents research at our civil discourse conference

Pedagogy
The Research & Design Studio has a lively and dynamic group working to curate, create, develop, and disseminate lesson plans, activities, training materials, and other pedagogical resources to advance the practice of teaching ethics and civil discourse in...
Arthur Applbaum, Amelia Bertaska & Tomer Perry discuss pedagogy

Community of Practice
The Research & Design Studio is structured to integrate collaboratively with others involved in civil discourse or synonymous and adjacent work across the broader Harvard community. Our Community of Practice is designed to facilitate action-oriented...
community of practice members around a table

Fellows Program

A cornerstone of this work is the Research and Design Studio's Fellowship initiative focused on civil discourse and pedagogy. Our current cohort of Civil Discourse Fellows are early-career researchers whose projects explore issues related to navigating difference. Fellows contribute to research and pedagogy projects, receive mentorship and funding, and present their work in different venues. Their research plays a vital role in shaping the Center's intellectual life and extending its impact across disciplines and institutions.   

We welcome collaboration from anyone rethinking the practice, pedagogy, or politics of dialogue in today's fractured world. 

Meet our Civil Discourse Fellows