THE PROJECT

The Pozen Family Center for Human Rights is seeking two undergraduate research assistants to start on September 22, 2025. These interns will work with Kaushik Sunder Rajan, Professor of Anthropology and Faculty Director of the Pozen Center, and with members of the Corporate Accountability Lab, Chicago. Under their guidance, interns will develop a strategic litigation skills-share between a group of South African and Colombian lawyers who work on issues of business and human rights. This project is sponsored by the Pozen Center.


WHAT YOU’LL DO

Interns will be expected to attend a week-long meeting in Chicago (tentatively scheduled for September 22-26, 2025), during which plans for research projects pertaining to the skills-share will be developed by lawyers from Colombia and South Africa. The exact nature of the research will be determined at this meeting, but research activities could include:

  • Helping to survey and analyze relevant laws and histories of litigation pertaining to business and human rights in South Africa and Colombia. Likely areas of focus will include (but are not restricted to) class actions against mining companies, mining and land rights, protocols for community consent for extractive enterprise, use of regional courts for bringing human rights cases against corporations, and health and environmental impacts of extractive industry;
  • Conducting interviews with experts in the two countries (likely by Zoom, though as the project progresses, a research visit to one of the countries may become necessary);
  • Compiling data and drafting memos that may be of use to participating lawyers;
  • Regularly meeting with relevant experts.
     

TIMING

Interns will start on September 22, 2025, by attending a week-long meeting at UChicago. (This is the week prior to the start of Fall Quarter.) The meeting time and place may change depending on the availability of lawyers from abroad. After the initial week of meetings, the commitment will average four to six hours per week during Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters. Work will be done independently or at the Chicago offices of Corporate Responsibility Lab.

 

ELIGIBILITY

Applications are welcome from across UChicago. Preference will be given to those who will be third- and fourth-year undergraduates in 2025-26. At least one of the research assistants should have a working knowledge of Spanish.

 

COMPENSATION

Undergraduates will be paid $19/hour. Work-study students are encouraged to apply.

 

APPLICATION

Apply online by May 26 at 11:59 p.m. CST. 

Email Cliff Chan (cliffchan@uchicago.edu) with questions.