University of Virginia, History
Assistant Professor, Africa before 1900
Institution Type: | College / University |
Location: | Virginia, United States |
Position: | Tenure Track Faculty |
In the fall of 2020, with the generous support of the John L. Nau Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the University of Virginia’s Democracy Initiative and College of Arts & Sciences launched a multiyear faculty hiring project. Over four years, we will hire a dozen or more new faculty members at all ranks in the departments of Classics, History, and Philosophy, Politics, and elsewhere. Across all the searches, the Departments seek to appoint scholars whose primary research is focused on the study of the principles of democracy, democratic accountability, and representation, either to advance the work of the core lab on the history and principles of democracy or to contribute to one of the Initiative’s other projects.
This year, the Corcoran Department of History at the University of Virginia seeks a historian of Africa before 1900 at the assistant professor level. The successful candidate will be appointed to a tenure-track position in the Department of History and will be affiliated with the Democracy Initiative.
We invite applications from scholars of Africa whose research addresses themes of authority, community, and power, broadly defined. We are particularly interested in scholars who can contribute to non-teleological and critical debates about the global history of governance and political participation through African history. Possible specializations include: political thought; precolonial states and societies; economic life and material culture; environment and ecologies; religion and belief systems; forms of knowledge and technologies; and visual culture, art, and music. Novel methodologies and cross-disciplinary approaches are welcome.
We welcome scholars whose work is centered in the field of African history with potential connections to the Atlantic, Mediterranean, or Indian Ocean worlds. Regional specialization within Africa is open. Scholars outside the U.S. academy and current graduate students are especially encouraged to apply. Applicants must have successfully defended their dissertation by August 25, 2022.
The mission of the Democracy Initiative is to promote excellence in research, teaching, and public engagement on democracy at a global scale by bringing together a diverse range of scholars, government leaders, and practitioners to study and advance the prospects of democracy around the world. The Democracy Initiative is interdisciplinary and supports and advances the work of faculty, as well as graduate and undergraduate students, in the humanities, the arts, and the social sciences. To that end, the Initiative supports a variety of labs built on models of collaborative work. The Democracy Labs consist of a series of three-year, rotating labs on various topics, connected by the work of the John Nau III History and Principles of Democracy Lab (the Nau Core Lab), an interdisciplinary hub of research, teaching, and outreach. Current labs are focused on corruption and the rule of law, democracy and new media, democratic statecraft, the links between environmental and racial inequality, and race, religion, and democracy. The Democracy Initiative also supports two projects focused on community engagement and research, the Memory Project, and The Equity Center. In addition to holding appointments in their home departments, each new faculty member hired under this initiative will also be a member either of the Nau Core lab or one of the Initiative’s other research labs or projects.
Review of applications will begin November 8, 2021, and continue until the position is filled. The appointment begins with the Fall 2022 semester.
Apply online at https://uva.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UVAJobs. Search for posting #R0029362, complete the application, and attach the following:
1. A cover letter broadly framing your interest, research, and teaching in light of search parameters, and your demonstrated past experience working on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and/or working with diverse populations (not to exceed three single-spaced pages)
2. Current curriculum vitae, a writing sample and contact information for three references
3. A statement outlining what kinds of intellectual and/or institutional contributions you could envision making to the Democracy Initiative (not to exceed two single-spaced pages)
4. A research statement, discussing your present scholarly project and looking ahead to a future project (not to exceed one single-spaced page)
5. A statement of your teaching philosophy (not to exceed one single-spaced page)
***Please note all required documents must be uploaded in the 'Resume' box and can be combined into one PDF file. Applications that do not contain all the required documents will not receive full consideration.***
The University will perform background checks on all new faculty hires prior to making a final offer of employment.
UVA assists faculty spouses and partners seeking employment in the Charlottesville area. To learn more, please visit https://dualcareer.virginia.edu. For more information about UVA and the Charlottesville community, please visit http://www.virginia.edu/life/charlottesville and https://embarkcva.com/.
The University of Virginia expects all current and new employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
If hired to work on the Academic side of the University, excluding the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, UPG, and the Health Systems Library, you will be required to provide proof of vaccination or be willing to submit to mandatory, weekly prevalence testing. Employees that are working 100% remotely will not be subject to weekly prevalence testing; however, if the employee works on UVA Grounds (including the Medical Center) even intermittently, then they are required to be tested for COVID-19 once per week on an indefinite basis and follow masking mandates. For more information on how the vaccination and testing requirements will apply to you at your work location, see the UVA New Hire Vaccination Requirements webpage.
The University of Virginia is fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.
Contact: |
Questions about the position should be directed to Professor Brian Owensby, search committee chair, at bpo3a@virginia.edu. Questions regarding the application process should be directed to Nicole Robinson, faculty search advisor, at nr7f@virginia.edu. |
Website: | None |
Primary Category: | African History / Studies |
Secondary Categories: | None |
Posting Date: | 10/15/2021 |
Closing Date | 01/13/2022 |