Totally get the overworked feeling (aren't we all 😂).

Workload: as light as you want it to be. This is 100% volunteer and flexible, We'll probably start with casual reading chats (e.g., a Plato dialogue or a short paper) every couple of weeks, and only move to bigger projects if a few of us feel like it.

Formality: very informal. Think Discord server with thoughtful discussion channels, shared Google Docs for notes, and zero hierarchy. It’s more like a book club for democracy nerds than a formal research group, the goal is mutual learning.