Bates College, Program in Asian Studies

Postdoctoral Fellowship in East Asian Studies

The Program in Asian Studies, Bates College, invites applications for a two-year postdoctoral fellow for pedagogical innovation and curricular renewal in the humanities funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The postdoctoral fellowship begins August 1, 2014 and concludes July 31, 2016.  Candidates must complete the Ph.D. by September 1, 2014, and should be no more than three years beyond receipt of their doctorate.  This is a fulltime lecturer position with salary and benefits competitive at the assistant professor level.  . The postdoctoral fellow will teach three courses in 2014-2015 (one course each semester and one course in Bates’s five-week short term [April-May]), and two courses (one each semester) in 2015-2016. The postdoctoral fellowship provides a reduced teaching load in order to support innovation in teaching and research.

The area of specialization (China or Japan) is open, but we particularly welcome applicants whose research examines culture broadly defined (including, for example, media, film, and cultural studies, anthropological approaches, etc.), and that crosses national boundaries.   Candidates are expected to have some familiarity with either Chinese or Japanese.    The teaching of one or two classes in either one of these languages (as part of the total of five courses) is a possibility, depending on the candidate’s expertise and experience.

The program seeks candidates committed to effective teaching and interested in exploring innovative approaches to East Asian Studies in the liberal arts college setting. This interest may take any of a number of forms, including, but not limited to the following: creative uses of digital technologies and on-line resources in the humanities and social sciences; new strategies for fostering student engagement and interaction; creative ways of structuring assignments and the use of classroom time; possibilities for connecting student learning to wider local and global communities; exploration of the interdisciplinary nature of the study of East Asian cultures; and new ways of combining language and culture learning in the classroom.

The College and the Asian Studies Program are committed to enhancing the diversity of the campus community and the curriculum. Candidates who can contribute to this goal are encouraged to apply; the search committee expects candidates to identify their strengths and experiences in this area.

The Asian Studies Program and the college appreciate the importance of ongoing professional research; the successful candidate will possess a demonstrated record of excellence in both teaching and scholarship. The Mellon half-time teaching load provides release time to help balance research and teaching.  Limited travel funds for conference attendance and presentation are available. Fellows are also eligible to compete for faculty development grants, which can be used for a variety of research expenses such as the purchase of books or materials or travel to conferences, meetings, and archives.  Bates is a highly selective liberal arts college and will provide an excellent climate for professional development and scholarship.

Consideration of candidates will begin January 20, 2014, and continue until the position is filled.  Applicants should initially submit the following documents electronically, in PDF format, to Nancy LePage, Project Specialist, 207-786-6480, at academicservices@bates.edu: (1) a cover letter highlighting pedagogical vision and practice along with likely course offerings and research interests; (2) a c.v., (including the names of two or more potential references); (3) a sample syllabus of a class they have taught or would like to teach.   Candidates selected for further consideration will then be asked to submit further documentation, such as a graduate school transcript, two letters of recommendation, a writing sample, etc.  They should be prepared to do so promptly. Please include your last name and R2137 in the subject line of all submissions.

Bates is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Because the college recognizes that employment decisions often involve two careers, Bates welcomes applications for shared positions. Employment is contingent on successful completion of a background check. For more information about the college, please visit the Bates website: www.bates.edu.