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Research Assistant - RealTime DemTrends for US Democratic Vitality: A Multi-generational Team Research Project

The RealTime DemTrends project, spearheaded by Dr. Mundt, is a research-based rapid assessment that tracks 39 political accountability factors organized into 13 democratic dimensions using a balanced (left, right, center) set of ~2000 news articles each week. This applied research position will be primarily responsible for leading the development of a state-level democratic vitality assessment framework, rapid analysis workflow, and pilot testing while overseeing 1-2 undergraduate students responsible for implementation.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Data Management and Validation (25%)

  • Clean and validate aggregated data files from 52 weeks of RealTime DemTrends rapid assessments, ensuring data integrity and logic across all 39 factors
  • Conduct quality control checks for temporal consistency, cross-source verification standards, and factor classification accuracy
  • Document data cleaning decisions and create reproducible workflows for future researchers

2. Technology Platform Oversight (15%)

  • Supervise undergraduate student's design and implementation of a technology platform to distribute RealTime DemTrends national- and state-level findings
  • Provide technical guidance on data visualization requirements and user experience considerations
  • Ensure the platform integrates with existing RealTime DemTrends Substack publication workflow

3. Analytical Strategy Development (30%)

  • Design and pilot at least two distinct analytical approaches to the 52-week dataset (e.g., time-series analysis of factor trajectories, network analysis of cross-factor cascading effects, qualitative comparative analysis of major story clusters) to identify patterns of democratic consolidation and erosion
  • Compare and contrast RealTime DemTrends findings with V-Dem, Freedom House, and Bright Line Watch assessments covering July 2025-December 2025 overlap period
  • Present preliminary findings at weekly team meetings for Principal Investigator and peer feedback

4. Literature Review and Comparative Analysis (15%)

  • Draft comprehensive literature review positioning RealTime DemTrends within the broader democracy measurement scholarship
  • Document methodological advantages and limitations of real-time versus retrospective approaches as well as public opinion vs expert measures

5. Publication Development and Dissemination (15%)

  • Draft one or more research paper(s) on U.S. democratic erosion or consolidation patterns for submission to peer-reviewed political science or democracy journals
  • Develop abstracts and presentation materials for potential conference submissions
  • Prepare public-facing media release and report for July 4th, 2026 synthesizing findings for non-academic and citizen audiences
  • Co-author blog posts and social media content explaining findings to diverse audiences

  • Location:

    Arlington campus or remote

  • Semester:

    Summer 2026

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  • Project Title

    RealTime DemTrends for US Democratic Vitality: A Multi-generational Team Research Project

  • Faculty / Project Lead

    Marcia Mundt, PhD

  • Project Description

    As the United States of America approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in July 2026, democracy scholars abroad and political scientists domestically suggest that the U.S. is in the midst of a steep democratic decline. While expert-rated democracy indices like those produced by Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem), Freedom House, or Bright Line Watch provide invaluable quarterly or annual assessments of U.S democratic vitality, they are analyzed and released too slowly to capture the week-to-week dynamics that influence political accountability within the system in ‘real-time.’ To address this challenge, Dr. Mundt launched a research project in June 2025 called RealTime DemTrends, which provides a weekly, granular analysis of events that impact 39 political accountability factors, organized into 13 dimensions, that signal progress or concern for the health of the U.S. democratic system. The project leverages a novel AI-assisted qualitative analysis method that scans ~2000 articles across 15 news sources (divided equally between right, left, and center leaning), including a human-in-the-loop collaboration and review panel each week, which results in a weekly rating for each factor on a scale of +3 to -3 depending on how events from the week compare with globally sourced scenarios representing consolidation or erosion. The methodology has demonstrated directional alignment with Bright Line Watch expert surveys as of October 2025, providing initial validation for the accuracy of the framework and method while the weekly ‘real-time’ cadence enables everyday citizens, civil society, policymakers, and scholars to respond to democratic erosion as it unfolds rather than waiting months for retrospective analysis. This summer research project will advance two objectives building upon the research thus far: (1) Conduct a comprehensive 52-week analysis of RealTime DemTrends data for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence (July 2026): working with a multi-generational research team to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the real-time democratic vitality data I have collected and scored across 39 political accountability factors from July 2025-June 2026, identifying patterns of system resilience and vulnerability throughout the year. Deliverables include: (a) research paper(s) examining key trends and patterns of erosion or consolidation identified through the RealTime DemTrends analytical approach in comparison with expert measures from Varieties of Democracy, Freedom House, or Bright Line Watch covering the same timeframe; (b) a 2-page policy brief timed for release around July 4th, 2026, providing citizens with evidence-based insights into U.S. democratic health at this historic milestone; (c) interactive data visualizations on a stand-alone website or other technology platform mapping the trends and patterns identified. (2) Develop and launch a State-Level democratic vitality framework and rapid assessment methodology: develop and pilot a monthly assessment of state-level democratic vitality for 3-5 states, creating a dataset complementary to the subnational Democratic Erosion Event Dataset (DEED)’s historical, backward-looking sub-national analysis ongoing at William & Mary under Principal Investigator Dr. Jaime Settle. This expansion addresses a critical gap, as there is no extant systems analysis of state-level political accountability, much less with a lens toward providing ‘real-time’ analytics.

  • Qualifications Necessary

    • Advanced PhD candidacy in Political Science, Public Policy, International Affairs, or related field • Strong quantitative research skills with demonstrated experience in large-scale data analysis • Proficiency in Python, R, Stata, SPSS or similar statistical programming languages, including strong background in data visualization • Excellent academic writing skills • Experience with project management and ability to work independently in remote environment • Commitment to non-partisan, cross-spectrum analytical approach Position based in Arlington, VA - remote work eligible. Please submit your CV and a statement of interest highlighting your motivation to apply, research background, and relevant qualifications to Dr. Marcia Mundt ([email protected]).

  • Hours per Week

    20 Hour Position