Artificial Intelligence and Democracy
Organizing Committee
Organized by the Center on Social Movement Studies (COSMOS) of the Scuola Normale Superiore, the School is funded by the PNRR through the MERITA, the network for talent project*.
Date: 18 - 22 May 2026
Location: Scuola Normale Superiore, Palazzone di Cortona (AR)
Total hours: 32
Max participants: 25
Language: English
Application deadline: 15 March 2026
Target audience: PhD students
The Cosmos PhD School is open to 25 PhD students or early career researchers with an interest in visual analysis and the study of political conflicts on social media.
Description
Over the past two years, generative artificial intelligence and its various and fast-evolving applications have been seizing the public debate and imagination, in particular for their potential of disrupting the labor market and eliminating qualified jobs in the publishing industry, education, film, music, design, fashion and programming, among others. Moreover, the threat of automation has extended to the political sphere, raising the possibility that unethical uses of AI may transform political campaigning or that specific political choices may be justified on the exclusive basis of AI-generated data. But how well-founded are these anxieties? And what is the impact of AI on the current crisis of representative democracy and political polarization in the digital public sphere? This PhD School examines these questions by examining critical issues at the core of the development of generative AI.
The PhD School consists of three full days and two half days with lectures by prominent scholars in the field of AI studies and social and political impact in the morning and practical sessions in the afternoon. The students will have a theoretical session and a methodological session every day, followed by a lab in which they apply the methods that they learn. Students will also get feedback from experts in the field of AI studies about their own research projects.
The main topics of the PhD School are:
- Does AI strengthen or weaken democracy?
- AI ethics and questions of democratic control
- AI and the Automation of Labour
- AI and the Automation of Warfare
- AI and Environmentalism
- AI and the Future of Journalism
Among the featured guest speakers are Peter Asaro, The New School New York; Antonio Casilli, Polytechnic Institute of Paris, Mark Coeckelbergh, University of Vienna, Marco Deseriis (SNS); Silvia Keeling (SNS), Fieke Jansen (University of Amsterdam); Iva Nenadic, (Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom, European University Institute), Matteo Pasquinelli, (Università Ca' Foscari Venezia); Hans-Joerg Trenz (SNS).
Application procedure and requirements
Applicants must submit a curriculum vitae and a short cover letter (no more than 1 page) outlining how their research focus fits with the topic of the PhD School and how participation in the School would benefit their research. These materials should be submitted as one PDF by sending an email to Prof. Marco Deseriis (marco.deseriis@sns.it) and Prof. Hans-Joerg Trenz (hansjorg.trenz@sns.it) no later than March, 15th 2026.
Accepted candidates will be notified not later than April, 1st 2026.
The PhD School is tuition-free: no fees will be required.
Admission to the PhD School includes participation in the lectures, the educational material, lunch and coffee breaks. Travel and accommodation costs for the duration of the stay need to be covered by the participants.
_________________________________
* MERITA, the network for talent project is the result of a collaboration between five Italian academic institutions: the Scuola Normale Superiore, the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, the Collegio Superiore dell’Università di Bologna, the Scuola Galileiana di Studi Superiori dell’Università di Padova and the Scuola Superiore di Studi Avanzati della Sapienza Università di Roma.
The MERITA project is funded within the Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR), Missione 4 – Istruzione e Ricerca, Componente 1, Investimento 3.4 "Didattica e competenze universitarie avanzate"- "Rafforzamento delle Scuole universitarie superiori". (National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), Mission 4 – Education and Research, Component 1, Investment 3.4 "Advanced university teaching and competences" - "Enhancement of the institutions for higher education").
Img by VladSt on Istockphoto ID: iStock-2243923080