Research Intern
The Future of Free Speech at Vanderbilt University is seeking a motivated Research Intern to support our work on freedom of expression, hate speech, human rights and related policy developments.
A central part of the internship will involve contributing to the review and updating of two of our major research resources:
- Hate Speech Case Database – tracking and analysing relevant European Court of Human Rights case law concerning hate speech and freedom of expression; and
- Global Handbook on Hate Speech Laws – a comparative resource mapping hate speech laws and relevant international and regional standards across jurisdictions worldwide.
What You Will Do
Working with our research team, the intern will assist with:
- Monitoring and researching developments concerning freedom of expression and hate speech;
- Identifying relevant judgments and decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, and preparing clear and concise case summaries;
- Reviewing and updating existing entries in the Hate Speech Case Database;
- Researching legislative developments concerning hate speech across different jurisdictions;
- Reviewing and updating country entries in the Global Handbook on Hate Speech Laws;
- Checking legislation, case law and other information against reliable and, wherever possible, primary sources;
- Monitoring relevant developments within the Council of Europe, European Union and United Nations;
- Researching issues relating to online freedom of expression, social media, content moderation and platform regulation;
- Assisting with comparative research across different European and international jurisdictions; and
- Supporting other research projects and publications undertaken by The Future of Free Speech.
Who We Are Looking For
We welcome applications from undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as recent graduates, with a strong interest in freedom of expression and related legal and policy questions.
Relevant fields of study may include:
- Law
- Human Rights
- European Studies
- Political Science
- International Relations
- International or European Law
- Public Policy
- Sociology
- Criminology
- Media and Communications
- Journalism
- Internet Governance / Technology Policy
- Other relevant social science or humanities discipline.
What We Are Looking For
The ideal candidate will have:
- Strong research and analytical skills;
- Excellent written English;
- An interest in freedom of expression, hate speech and human rights;
- The ability to identify and evaluate reliable legal, academic, governmental and policy sources;
- Strong attention to detail;
- The ability to summarise complex material clearly and accurately;
- An interest in European and comparative research; and
- The ability to work independently and meet agreed deadlines.
Familiarity with the European Convention on Human Rights, European Court of Human Rights, Council of Europe, European Union, or international human rights system would be an advantage, but is not essential. Knowledge of languages other than English is particularly welcome, given the comparative nature of the research and the need to identify and verify developments across multiple jurisdictions.
Relevant Experience
Previous professional research experience is not required.
Relevant experience may have been gained through:
- University coursework and research assignments;
- A Bachelor’s or Master’s dissertation/thesis;
- PhD research;
- Moot courts;
- Student law reviews, journals or newspapers;
- Research assistant positions;
- Erasmus+ or other international study programmes;
- Human rights or civil society organisations;
- Internships with European or international institutions;
- University societies or projects; or
- Independent research and writing.
We are interested in research potential and genuine intellectual curiosity, not simply previous professional experience.
What You Will Gain
The internship provides an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in:
- European and international human rights research;
- ECtHR case law research;
- Comparative legal and policy research;
- Legislative research across multiple jurisdictions;
- Freedom of expression and hate speech standards;
- Digital and platform regulation;
- Maintaining major public-facing research resources; and
- Translating complex legal and policy developments into concise, accessible research outputs.
The intern will contribute directly to resources used by academics, practitioners, policymakers, civil society organizations, journalists and others working on freedom of expression internationally.