Oxford University

The Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School (INET Oxford) was founded in 2012 to develop alternatives to neoliberal economic thinking and apply new ideas and methods to major societal challenges, including economic inequality, climate change, technological innovation, and the role of the financial system. The institute’s 98 scholars, drawn from a variety of disciplines, have produced a substantial body of academic output, but needs to do more to "translate" that output to have an impact on policy and societal debates. The institute is requesting a grant to hire a communications officer to work with its scholars to create and disseminate compelling research-based content. The successful candidate will have strong skills in journalism and social media, a strong network in key communications channels, and will work closely with counterparts across the "Beyond Neoliberalism" community.

The Oxford Internet Institute's (OII) computational propaganda program is one of the leading scholarly programs tracking the impact of social media on public life. This grant will allow creation of a dedicated US Election Observatory to track political polarization through the use of algorithms, automation, and junk news. OII will develop (1) an investigative program into computational propaganda and political communication during critical moments—such as elections, security crises, and polarizing debates—in the US, and (2) a policy program to increase OII's ability to assist policy makers, journalists, and the interested public in understanding how new information technologies impact public life. This support will deepen OII's research capacity, provide the flexibility to investigate changing technologies, and sustain relationships with the US institutions and organizations that depend on OII for insight.