Pozen Family Center for Human Rights
The Pozen Family Center for Human Rights (Pozen Center) at the University of Chicago supports innovative interdisciplinary teaching and research initiatives that critically explore the theory and practice of global human rights. This includes:
- Rigorous liberal arts, graduate, and professional school curricula that combine foundational research with practice-oriented training, including a Study Abroad program in Paris, a two-quarter Civilizations Core sequence, and a Major and a Minor in the College.
- Summer student internships with non-governmental organizations, government agencies, and international human rights bodies in the U.S. and across the world.
- Research that brings together faculty and students from across disciplinary divisions and professional schools
- Projects and events to enhance the university's engagement with local, regional, national, and international human rights scholars, practitioners, and public officials.
Graduate student opportunities
Pozen Human Rights Doctoral Fellows Program: an intensive yearlong interdisciplinary forum for University of Chicago doctoral students whose research intersects with human rights themes.
Fellows meet throughout the academic year, typically three to four times per quarter, for interdisciplinary conversations and scholarly exchange with each other and Center and University faculty. These seminars function as a reading group where students introduce work from their respective disciplines, as well as a space where they workshop part of a dissertation or an article in preparation. At the end of the year, students workshop their papers again with invited scholars from around the world.
In addition to mentorship, Pozen Fellows receive a $3,000 stipend and grants to support research (including fieldwork) and conference attendance. UChicago awards all fellows who successfully complete the program a Human Rights Certificate. Fellows are also eligible to apply for conference and research fund support.
Graduate Lectureship: Graduate lecturers receive the 2026-2027 graduate student contracted minimum salary of $5,477. Lectureships in fulfillment of a teaching requirement will receive a $2,000 stipend in addition to the divisional stipend. This amount may change depending on the student's Division. Lecturers can hold office hours and use office space at the Pozen Center.
Contact
Kathleen Cavanaugh
Director, Pozen Center; Faculty, the College
Pozen Center website: https://humanrights.uchicago.edu/