Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) – Black Feminist Anthropology

The Departments of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) and Anthropology, at The University of Western Ontario, invite applications for a full-time probationary (tenure stream) joint position at the rank of Assistant Professor with a specialization in any subdiscipline of Anthropology in relation to Black Feminist Anthropology. The successful candidate will have a joint appointment in the two Departments with Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies as the home department. Start date will be July 2025 or as negotiated. Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

We seek an emerging Black scholar whose research and teaching will enhance and expand the strengths of both GSWS and Anthropology and whose scholarship examines the diversity and complexity of Black peoples, communities, and/or cultural practices. The successful candidate will engage with Black peoples’ contemporary and/or historical struggles for social justice. The successful candidate will participate in the building of interdisciplinary modules (extant Minor and Major in planning) in Black Studies.

Applicants should have the Ph.D. in hand or be in the final stages of its completion, and must demonstrate engagement with Black feminist intellectual practices, both methodologically and conceptually, in teaching and research. Research and teaching foci may involve, but are not limited to, Black cultures and responses to colonial legacies, Black creative practices and cultural production as means of decolonization and resistance, embodiment and social (in)justice, Black intersections with gender, sexuality, class, religion, ability, etc., and Black decolonial activist practices. Applicants should demonstrate how their work engages with important theoretical orientations in contemporary practice. These could include, among others, decolonizing approaches, feminist theory, queer theory, critical race theory, Indigenous ways of knowing, or Indigenous research methods. The ideal candidate will have a research program that can contribute to both Departments’ strengths and that is aligned with the University’s new Strategic Plan (https://strategicplan.uwo.ca/). They will show evidence of participation and leadership in collaborative research projects that emphasize community engagement throughout the research process.

Applicants are expected to have demonstrated excellence conducting scholarly research in their area(s) of expertise and a clearly articulated plan for future research. In recognition of institutional barriers and diverse epistemologies, the candidate may have a significant record of public interactions, advocacy, creative works, or other ways of demonstrating intellectual engagement with topics and issues affecting a diverse range of Black communities.

We seek applicants who have experience in undergraduate teaching, as well as potential for graduate teaching and supervision, and who will contribute to the cultures of both departments. The review of applications will begin on October 20, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled.

All applicants to this hiring opportunity must self-identify as Black within their cover letter. Because this is a special opportunity restricted to self-identified Black candidates, applicant
self-identification information will be used for the purposes of screening and consideration. This particular search process follows the provisions for a special program as described in Section 14 of the Ontario Human Rights Commission in order to address the underrepresentation of academics from historically excluded groups among our faculty complement. Pursuant to Section 14 of the Ontario Human Rights Code, the selection will be limited to applicants who self-identify as Black.

The Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (https://www.uwo.ca/gsws/index.html) is an interdisciplinary unit located in both the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Faculty of Social Science. We have a vibrant undergraduate program with specializations in Gender and Women’s Studies, Sexuality Studies, and Feminist, Queer, and Critical Race theory. Our graduate program offers a 1-year MA and 4- year PhD and provides students with opportunities for professional development and access to collaborative graduate specializations in Migration and Ethnic Relations (https://migration.uwo.ca/) and in Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction (https://tjcentre.uwo.ca/). Our faculty have active research programs (including a Strategic Focus Western Research Chair in Gender, Economics, and the Environment) and teach in a wide range of disciplines, including history, literature, media studies, health studies, French, cultural studies, international relations, sociology, and political science. Our faculty also work within and at the intersections of feminist theory, queer and trans theory(s), and critical race theory. With more than 60 affiliate faculty members working in disciplines across the university, GSWS has been active in, and committed to, creating and promoting equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization across the campus and to advancing social justice and progressive change locally, nationally, and globally.

The Department of Anthropology (https://anthropology.uwo.ca/) at Western is a four-field department with strong collaborative relations within the department, with other departments and programs on campus, and with the Canadian and international communities where we carry out research. The successful candidate will be able to benefit from, and further strengthen, existing collaborations with campus partners such as the Indigenous Studies Program (https://indigenousstudies.uwo.ca/), the Department of Geography and Environment (https://geoenvironment.uwo.ca/), and the Department of Classical Studies (https://www.uwo.ca/classics/) , among others. At the graduate level, we have Ph.D. and M.A. programs that consistently attract outstanding Canadian and international applicants. We also offer a wide range of courses, including rich experiential learning opportunities, for undergraduate students in all subfields.

Western University (http://www.uwo.ca/) ranks as one of Canada’s top research-intensive universities with annual research funding exceeding $220 million and an international reputation for success. Our research excellence expands knowledge and drives discovery with real-world application. Western also provides an exceptional employment experience, offering competitive salaries, a wide range of employment opportunities and one of Canada’s most beautiful campuses.

Application must include the following:
• Application for Full-Time Faculty Position form, which can be found here – https://www.uwo.ca/facultyrelations/pdf/Application-FullTime-Faculty-Position-Form.pdf
• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) statement that describes the applicant’s experiences with
EDI and how their EDI-related values inform their research, teaching, mentorship, and service
• 1 Page Research Statement
• 1 Page Teaching Statement
• Names, addresses, and email addresses for three referees (do not solicit letters at this stage).

Save all the components together, ordered as above, in a single PDF file named as follows: YOURLASTNAME_UWO_GSWS-ANTHRO_JOB and email the file to:

Dr. WG Pearson, Chair
Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
Western University
London, Ontario, Canada N5A 2B8 Email: [email protected]

Positions are subject to budget approval. Applicants should have fluent written and oral communication skills in English.

In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact the department’s Administrative and Graduate Coordinator, Junyu Ke, at [email protected].

To help us track our recruitment effort, please indicate in your email/cover letter where (globalvacancies.org) you saw this job posting.