Wilfrid Laurier University, Religion and Culture

Black Scholar in Religion and Culture

Inclusive Excellence Cohort Hiring Initiative: Seeking Black Scholar in Religion and Culture

Wilfrid Laurier University (Laurier) is a multi-campus university renowned for its extraordinary learning environment and highly personalized educational experience. As a comprehensive university with more than 19,000 students, Laurier has grown rapidly in research intensity while at the same time preserving our well-earned reputation for excellent undergraduate teaching and learning. With a multi-campus and multi-community culture, Laurier offers students an exceptional range of more than 100 academic programs. As a leader in higher education for more than a century, Laurier has offered students a transformative experience, an ethos that is reflected in Laurier’s intention to inspire lives of leadership and purpose.

Laurier is taking a step toward Indigenization and reconciliation and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) by hiring six new Indigenous faculty members and six new Black faculty members. The initiative is part of Laurier’s broader Faculty Rejuvenation efforts to advance strategic academic and research goals, enhance academic excellence and student experience, and strengthen collaborative and interdisciplinary initiatives.

Laurier’s campuses and locations are on the Haldimand Tract, within the traditional territories of the Neutral, Anishnaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The university is within a short 2.5-hour drive of 18 First Nations communities, including the Six Nations of the Grand River— the most populous First Nation in Canada — and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Kitchener-Waterloo and Brantford both have large urban Indigenous populations. There are 12 Métis councils within a 3-hour radius. We recognize the unique heritages of Indigenous peoples and support their right to preserve and express their distinctive Indigenous cultures, histories, and knowledge through academic programming, research, and co-curricular activities. Laurier honours Indigenous knowledge through diverse ongoing initiatives, programs, funding events, and positions, including the university’s Indigenous Student Centres, its Centre for Indigegogy, the Indigenous Knowledge Fund, Indigenous Education Week and the annual Indigenous Research Symposium. Laurier welcomes a regular stream of Visiting Elders and has an Indigenous Curriculum Specialist, not to mention a growing number of Indigenous faculty, students, and staff.

Nestled around one city block, Laurier’s Waterloo campus is home to more than 15,500 students in undergraduate and graduate studies. Known for its small community feel, the campus is a welcoming environment for students and staff. The Waterloo Region, consisting of the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, as well as the townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich, is home to Canada’s fastest-growing technology sector and is part of the Toronto-Waterloo Innovation Corridor. Neighbouring Laurier's Waterloo and Kitchener campuses are the Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region, the African Caribbean Black Network of Waterloo Region and the Waterloo Region Black Innovation Centre.  Located approximately one hour west of Toronto, the Waterloo Region offers a unique blend of modern, energetic urban centres and scenic, rural landscapes, and is easily accessible by road, rail and air. Waterloo Region is renowned for higher education and research. Internationally recognized research organizations also make their home in Waterloo: the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, the Institute for Quantum Computing, and the Balsillie School for International Governance Innovation.

Faculty and Department/Area:

Faculty of Arts, Department of Religion and Culture

Position Location:

Waterloo with program courses offered in Waterloo and online.

Area of Specializations:

A Black scholar who specializes in the academic study of religious literature is sought for this position in the Department of Religion and Culture. Applicants with specializations in Black religions and Biblical Studies are especially encouraged to apply. Applications from strong scholars with interdisciplinary training in various fields of Humanities are welcome.

Rank/s of the Position:

Assistant Professor

Type of Position:

Tenure Track

Department Description:

Religion and Culture undergraduate program requirements can be fulfilled with a robust curriculum of intramural and online courses. The MA program in Religion, Culture and Global Justice shared with the Global Studies Department fosters strong inter-cultural competencies for confronting global- and local-level challenges and transformations. The joint PhD program with the University of Waterloo in Religious Diversity in North America trains scholars in multidisciplinary theories and methods with an emphasis on the diverse nature of religious interactions.

Position Summary:

The Religion and Culture Department is seeking a scholar with demonstrated research expertise in the academic study of religious literary texts, understood very broadly to include Hebrew Bible and/or Early Christian Texts, the interpretation and reception of which have been historically foundational and remain contemporarily relevant to Black communities in North American and global contexts. Candidates who employ methodological and theoretical approaches developed within a range of humanities disciplines and specializations such as history and philosophy of religions, comparative literature, and textual criticism are encouraged to apply. Successful candidates will complement existing faculty strengths by teaching courses in the department’s undergraduate curriculum, the MA program in Religion, Culture and Global Justice shared with Global Studies, and a Joint PhD program with the University of Waterloo in Religious Diversity in North America. The scholar hired for this position is expected to have facility or willing to acquire experience with delivery and innovative development of remote / online courses. The potential to fulfill department service roles and to engage with other programs, departments and faculties at Wilfrid Laurier University and the wider community will also be considered.

Qualifications:

Applicants must have earned a PhD in Religious Studies or Humanities disciplines related to the academic study of religion, such as Comparative Literature, History, Near Eastern or other Area Studies. Applicants who are ABD will be considered. Evidence of teaching excellence and the ability to engage students in seminar as well as larger lecture settings, intramurally, and through an online learning management platform is required. Applicants should be able to demonstrate capacity to offer undergraduate and graduate courses such as Legacy of the Bible, Reading Religious Texts, and Textual Studies and to enhance and build strengths in their areas of specialization by introducing new courses. A successful applicant would be expected to contribute to graduate teaching and advising at the MA and PhD levels and to show evidence of a program of research sufficient to support appointment to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The department values collegiality and requires appropriate commitment to committee service for the level of seniority and career development.

Deciding to Become a Candidate

The following is a list of the steps we anticipate in the recruitment process for this position. We would also like to bring to your attention several key issues we would recommend you consider as you navigate the search process.

How to apply

Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply by including the following in their application. Please note that additional materials may be requested through the review process as required by the home department.

• a letter of interest including the candidate’s research and teaching interest and where this best aligns with Laurier’s academic programs;
• a curriculum vitae;
• a statement on teaching philosophy, and any evidence of teaching effectiveness (such as a course syllabus, a peer teaching review, or student feedback).
• a research plan outlining the candidate’s prospective or in-progress research for the next three to five years (max 2 pages) including two sample publications, reports or other scholarly outputs (whether in-progress or complete)
• the names and contact information of three referees (will not be contacted without the candidate’s consent).
• information on membership in an African Diasporic community that has been historically racialized as Black and/or lived experiences of anti-Black racism. This can be included in a separate statement or within the letter of interest.

Applications can be addressed to Mike Young, Executive Search Associate and submitted electronically to wlucohort@boyden.com. Review of applications will begin on October 29th and will continue to be collected and evaluated until all the Inclusive Excellence cohort positions are filled. Candidates are encouraged to apply once interested as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Wilfrid Laurier University is committed to employment equity and values diversity. Laurier welcomes applications from qualified members of the equity-seeking groups.  All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, as per Canadian immigration laws, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University is obligated to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenships; however, all applicants must include one of the following statements in their cover letter:

Yes, I am a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada;

No, I am not a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Applicants are encouraged to address any career interruptions or special circumstances that may have affected their record of research and teaching, in accordance with Tri-Council definitions and guidelines.

Laurier strives to make our application process accessible and provides accommodations for both applicants and employees as outlined in Policy 8.7. https://www.wlu.ca/about/governance/assets/resources/8.7-employment-accommodation-policy.html. If you require assistance with applying for this position, wish to obtain a copy of this job description in an accessible format, or would like to discuss accessibility and accommodations during the recruitment process please email equity@wlu.ca.