The Institute for Democracy, Journalism & Citizenship conducts research at the intersection of media, civic engagement, and democracy. Our work explores how media and public discourse shapes democratic participation, providing insights to strengthen informed citizenship.
These news and research partnerships explore how media consumption and public opinion shape democratic outcomes and participation. The Deciders Focus Groups are conducted with Engagious/Sago with findings reported by NBC News. IDJC’s American Identity Poll with Ipsos, whose findings are made available to news organizations, explores how Americans’ media preferences and views about national identity shape opinions around policy and political leadership. The ElectionGraph project examined hidden and coordinated messages around the 2024 election spread on social media.
Investigating the critical role of local journalism in sustaining informed communities, this research examines the challenges and opportunities facing local news outlets.
Visit the research websites of Research Director Johanna Dunaway and Senior Researcher Joshua Darr to learn more.
To understand the state of public dialogue in the midst of polarization, in/civility research analyzes factors that influence civil discourse in media, politics, and everyday interactions.
Visit Senior Researcher Emily Sydnor’s research website to learn more.
Funding Opportunities
Funding: Up to $3,000
The IDJC Graduate Student Research Grant supports graduate student research from the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs, and the Newhouse School of Public Communications. The grants will support research on topics and issues concerning democracy, journalism, and citizenship. Funds are used to enhance graduate student research by funding research activities such as data acquisition, surveys, experiments, archival research, or advanced training in software or methods.
Eligibility: Maxwell School and Newhouse School PhD students
Deadline: May 15
Funding: Up to $6,000
The IDJC Faculty Research grant supports Syracuse faculty research on topics and issues at the intersection of democracy, journalism, and citizenship. The awards are competitive. Selection is based on potential contribution to scholarship, cost-effectiveness, and consistency with the research and educational missions of the IDJC. Funds can be used for such activities as data acquisition through surveys, experiments, or archival research, student research assistants, or hosting research conferences at Maxwell, Newhouse, or our offices in Washington, D.C.
Eligibility: Full-time Syracuse Faculty
Deadline: May 15
The Syracuse University Institute for Democracy, Journalism, & Citizenship grants a limited number of small awards each year to support Maxwell School students engaged with the educational or research and mission of the IDJC and taking semester-long courses in Washington D.C. The funding aims to support students who hold unpaid but desirable internship positions or otherwise demonstrate financial need to facilitate their semester in Washington.
These awards are made possible through the generosity of the Denise F. Kalette ’68 IDJC Memorial Fund.
Fall Application Deadline: July 15th
Spring Application Deadline: December 15th
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