Civic Tech Field Guide
Sharing knowledge and productively growing the fieldThe People > Learn about civic tech > Academia > Research and policy centers - (275)
Research and policy centers develop evidence- and ideology-based recommendations to address societal challenges, inform policy decisions, and promote effective governance.
Showing 275 Results
Brown Information Futures Lab
Brown UniversityOur lab is where technology, innovation, policy and community meet, one pilot at a time.
Global Disinformation Lab at UT Austin
Austin, TXThe Global DisInformation Lab (GDIL) was established in 2020 at the University of Texas at Austin to encourage collaborative interdisciplinary academic research on the global circulation of misinformation, and disinformation.
UNC Center for Innovation & Sustainability in Local Media
North CarolinaCISLM will grow a more equitable and sustainable future for local news, the journalists who make it and the communities that need it.
CIPESA
KampalaICT Policy Centre for Eastern and Southern Africa — Promoting effective and inclusive ICT Policy in Africa
The Media Manipulation Casebook
Harvard Kennedy School, John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge, MACase studies. The Media Manipulation Casebook is a digital research platform linking together theory, methods, and practice for mapping media manipulation and disinformation campaigns.
The Computational Propaganda Project
University of Oxford, 1 St Giles', Oxford OX1 3JS, UKSince 2012, the Programme on Democracy & Technology has been investigating the use of algorithms, automation, and computational propaganda in public life.
Within the disinformation and memory studies direction, the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) team is developing tools in several ways.
The Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA) at the University of Washington's Information School explores the role of digital technologies in building more open, inclusive, and equitable societies.
Digital Life Initiative at Cornell Tech
Cornell TechWe explore societal perspectives surrounding the development and application of digital technology, focusing on ethics, policy, politics, and quality of life. 2017
Town+Gown
New York City (NYC / New York, NY)Created in 2009-2010, Town+Gown is a city-wide university-community partnership program, resident at the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC), that brings academics and practitioners together to create actionable knowledge in the built environment.
Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure
Amherst, MAWe’re imagining, studying, and building public spaces and public goods on the internet.
The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP)
New York UniversityS.T.O.P. at NYU fights to end discriminatory surveillance.
NYU Public Interest Technology Institute
New York UniversityA 2-week virtual conference for early and mid-career faculty who seek to accelerate their work in public interest technology
Public Interest Technology at Cornell Tech
Cornell TechPublic Interest Technology (PiTech) at Cornell Tech catalyzes and amplifies technical advances that promote societal welfare and address systematically unfulfilled needs
We are an interdisciplinary group of experts in labor, technology, anti-racism, feminism, and transnationalism.
Studio at Cornell Tech
Cornell TechThe Studio at Cornell Tech is a place for students, faculty and practitioners from across disciplines and industries to come together and bridge the gap between the ideas generated in an academic institution and the products that people use every day.
NYU Tandon Cybersecurity for Democracy
New York UniversityCybersecurity for Democracy is a research-based effort to expose online threats to our social fabric – and recommend how to counter them. We are part of the Center for Cybersecurity at NYU.
The Center for Digital Transformation researches issues related to digitization and its challenges and opportunities.
Urban AI
France 🇫🇷Urban AI is a Think Tank that proposes ethical modes of governance and sustainable uses of urban AI.
PIT Lab @Stanford
Stanford University, Serra Mall, Stanford, CAThe PIT Lab is building a thoughtful community around public interest technology at Stanford. Themes include systemic inequities, democratic values, bridging the divide, career pathways.
Where ideas and action intersect to create real social impact.
The NoC a collaborative initiative among academic institutions with a focus on interdisciplinary research on the development, social impact, policy implications, and legal issues concerning the Internet.
An independent research institute with a mission to ensure data and AI work for people and society.
The Reporters’ Lab
Duke University, Durham, NCThe Reporters’ Lab is a center for journalism research in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. Our core projects focus on fact-checking, but we also do occasional research about trust in the news media and other topics.
Public Interest AI at HIIG
Humboldt-Institut Berlin, Invalidenstraße, Berlin, GermanyAlexander von Humboldt Institut Für Internet und Gesellschaft
The AI for Good Foundation engages on a number of fronts in order to continuously serve its core mission.
AI Ethics Initiative
Cambridge, MAThe AI Initiative is dedicated to shaping the global policy framework to govern the rise of Artificial Intelligence, addressing holistically short-, mid- and long-term governance challenges.
Explore and evaluate your city's resilience, to plan for a strong future.
AI Now Institute
New York City (NYC / New York, NY)The AI Now Institute at New York University is an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to understanding the social implications of artificial intelligence.
Stanford Impact Labs
Stanford University, Serra Mall, Stanford, CACenter at Stanford University connecting and accelerating work on social problems
Harvard Democracy and Internet Governance Initiative (DIGI)
Harvard University, Cambridge, MAThrough public reports and briefings with policymakers, business leaders, and civil society organizations, the Initiative will highlight digital platform reform options, as well as offer expertise on legislative reform proposals and platform self-governance options.
CivicTech Lab at National University of Singapore
11 Computing Drive, Room 03-24. National University of SingaporeCivicTech Lab at National University of Singapore is a research hub led by Dr. Weiyu Zhang. We are a team of social scientists, computer scientists, and digital cultural analysts.
GovLab aims to strengthen the ability of institutions, including but not limited to governments, and people to work more openly, collaboratively, effectively, and legitimately to make better decisions and solve public problems
Urban Institute opens minds, shapes decisions, and offers solutions through economic and social policy research.
Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University
Columbia University, New York, NYLed by director Emily Bell since our founding in 2010, our team of researchers examines digital journalism’s industry-wide economic trends, its cultural shifts, and its relationship with the broader, constantly changing world of technology. Operating as an institute within Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, the center provides journalists with the skills and knowledge to lead the future of digital journalism and serves as a research and development center for the profession as a whole.
The Distributed AI Research Institute is a space for independent, community-rooted AI research free from Big Tech’s pervasive influence.
PIT @ The City University of New York
New York City (NYC / New York, NY)Making Tech Education and Research a Transformational Force in Serving the Public Good
InternetLab
São PauloInternetLab is an independent research center that aims to foster academic debate around issues involving law and technology, especially internet policy
Center on Privacy and Technology
The George Washington University, I Street Northwest, Washington, DCThe Center on Privacy & Technology at Georgetown Law Center is a think tank focused on privacy and surveillance law and policy.
NYU Visualization and Data Analytics Research Center (VIDA)
New York UniversityThe Visualization and Data Analytics Research Center at NYU consists of computer scientists who work closely with domain experts to apply the latest advances in computing to problems of critical societal importance, and simultaneously generate hypotheses and methods that new data sources and data types demand.
Data & Society Research Institute
Data & Society Research Institute, West 20th Street, New York, NYData & Society is a research institute focused on the social and cultural issues arising from data-centric technological development.
UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose
55-56 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 4HP, UKChanging how public value is imagined, practiced and evaluated to tackle societal challenges.
MSc Media and Communications (LSE Data and Society)
Houghton Street London WC2A 2AEMSc Media and Communications (Data and Society)
Digital Civil Society Lab
Stanford University, Serra Mall, Stanford, CAHelping civil society organizations use digital resources safely, ethically and effectively.
Décider ensemble
128 rue Vieille-du-Temple, 75003, Paris, FranceDécider ensemble met en place des échanges sous forme de groupes de réflexion à travers l’organisation de colloques, matinées de questionnements, formations et événements annuels
The Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life
Chapel Hill, NCThe impact of the digital information environment — especially the influence of social media
Scholars. Practitioners. Leaders.
Visualization and Data Analytics Lab (ViDA)
New York UniversityThe Visualization and Data Analytics Research Center at NYU consists of computer scientists who work closely with domain experts to apply the latest advances in computing to problems of critical societal importance, and simultaneously generate hypotheses and methods that new data sources and data types demand.
Get email updates
Helpful Links
Reach Out
A project of
With support from
National Endowment for Democracy
Founding Organization
Civic Hall
Technology partner
Civic Tech Field Guide