What do we offer?

The RPA Artificial Intelligence & Politics focuses on the interaction between AI and Politics with research into the social consequences of this interaction. We embrace a broad definition of politics, spanning both formal and informal dynamics through which societal challenges and conflicts are processed in a variety of contexts.  The RPA has four pillars: Investigating the impact of AI on politics; The politics of AI governance; How does (largely private) AI do traditional administrative “political” jobs?; When, how and why is the use of AI politicised.

A key goal of this RPA is to foster interdisciplinary research across FMG domains and programme groups on topics related to the interaction between AI & Politics. This first round of seed grants welcomes applications for:

•    S grants (€5.000): Grants to be used for setting up new projects/collaborations or to increase the impact or the scope of an existing research project. 

•    M grants (€15.000) are designed to set up new projects/collaborations.

Funding can be used for data collection and analysis (e.g., participant recruitment, hiring of panel recruitment companies, hours for research assistants, computing infrastructure) as well as dissemination/impact activities (e.g., workshops, symposia, networking events). The funding cannot be used for personnel costs such as teaching buy-out. 

Grant recipients are expected to present their project results at an RPA event to be scheduled in early 2026, and to participate in RPA activities (e.g., project kick-off, communications) throughout 2025. 

Who can apply?

Researchers with their main affiliation at the FMG may serve as applicants (including postdocs). PhD candidates may serve as applicants for S grants with their supervisors’ approval. External researchers are welcome to participate in the project but are not grant recipients. We encourage collaborations from FMG members from different program groups/departments, and consider this as a plus but not a hard requirement.

How to apply?

The deadline for applications is 29/03/25 (end of day). Grant decision will be communicated before 30/4/25. The grant needs to be used within 1/5/25 and 30/07/26. Please note that allocated funds cannot be used beyond the duration of the applicant’s contract with the FMG.

If you doubt whether your proposed project will perfectly fit the RPA, or if you are new to the topics of AI or Politics, please don’t hesitate to submit anyway.

The 2-page Application Form can be found here:

Please submit the application form by emailing it to Hilde Voorveld (h.a.m.voorveld@uva.nl) by 29 March 2025.