Assistant Professor in African American History

The Department of African American & African Studies in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in African American History. This is a joint appointment with teaching across the Departments of African American & African Studies and History and a tenure home in the Department of African American & African Studies. The position is open until filled. Priority will be given to completed applications received by October 21, 2024.

Applicants' research and teaching should focus on African American history, with deep grounding in the intellectual communities and interdisciplinary scholarship produced through historical Black struggles. The department is particularly interested in applicants pursuing public and engaged scholarship with communities around racial and educational justice. We welcome those who engage in broad areas of research in African American history, especially in terms of a temporal, geographical, and methodological focus. In addition, the department is interested in applicants who bring critical, comparative, and/or transnational perspectives to cast a new light on key historical processes from enslavement to social movements. Secondary fields of particular interest include critical histories of racial capitalism; social movements; migration and diaspora; and innovative approaches to historical methodology.

Applicants are expected to have an active research and/or creative program and contribute to service in the departments, college, university, and field. The faculty member will normally teach a 2-2 load to be split, in consultation, across two departments. Such courses as the two-semester survey course in African American history are already cross-listed between African American & African Studies and History and are just one example of the kind of synergistic teaching across these two units. In addition to university liberal education requirements, these courses will serve the two departments' majors and minors. The faculty member will also engage with graduate students in the Africa and African Diaspora Graduate Minor Program, housed in the Department of African American & African Studies; in the Ph.D. Program in History; and in the M.A. Program in Heritage Studies and Public History.

The appointment, to begin Fall 2025, 8/25/2025, will be 100% time over the nine-month academic year. Appointment will be at the rank of tenure-track assistant professor consistent with collegiate and University policy. Salary is competitive and will depend on the candidate's qualifications and experience, consistent with school, college, and university policy. This position is eligible for the University of Minnesota's standard benefits package available to benefits-eligible faculty and academic staff.

Required Qualifications

A Ph.D. in African American Studies, History, American Studies, Anthropology, or a related field in the humanities or social sciences is required. Advanced ABD's may be considered for appointment at the rank of tenure-track instructor, with the understanding that the Ph.D. must be conferred in the first year of appointment.

Preferred Qualifications

The preferred candidate would be broadly trained in the interdisciplinary field of African American history, with attention toward public history and the importance of movement-building grounded in communities of struggles. We are particularly interested in candidates who are engaged in broad-based historical inquiries grounded in critical Black scholarship. In addition to a record of historical and interdisciplinary scholarship, the successful applicant will have a strong commitment to contribute at all levels of our undergraduate and graduate education, and have a demonstrated commitment to collaborative and community-engaged work.

Candidates will be evaluated according to a) overall quality of their academic preparation, scholarly work, and research trajectory, b) relevance of their scholarly research to the department's academic priorities and fields of inquiry, c) evidence of commitment to teaching and skills as a teacher, and d) strength of recommendations, (e) commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Established in 1969, the Department of African American & African Studies, the tenure home department, is a distinct and dynamic academic unit in the College of Liberal Arts committed to multidisciplinary research, teaching, and learning at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Undergraduate students are exposed to a wide range of ways of knowing that are fashioned out of the rigorous study of Africans, African Americans, and African descended people and their contributions to society, history, culture, literature, and arts. Our graduate minor in Africa and the African diaspora attracts students enrolled in Ph.D. and master's programs within and beyond the College of Liberal Arts. We also offer two African languages, Swahili and Somali. Our faculty members are award-winning teachers and engaged scholars at the cutting edge of transnational scholarship and are committed to advancing community-based learning and outreach initiatives.

Faculty in the Department of African American & African Studies are expected to maintain an active program of scholarly research; develop and teach undergraduate and graduate courses; advise students; and contribute service appropriate for the rank of appointment to the department, college, University, and profession. Tenure-track professors teach four semester-length courses per academic year at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Developing additional courses and research themes that complement and extend current departmental expertise is strongly encouraged.

In addition, the intellectual culture in the Department of History features dialogue among faculty and students across temporal and geographical boundaries, including long-running workshops in American Indian and indigenous studies; comparative history of women, gender, and sexuality; the comparative early modern Atlantic world; legal history; and the graduate workshop in modern history. Faculty scholarship and creative activities range broadly from traditional monographs and original works of synthesis to websites, performances, photo exhibits, congressional testimony, amicus briefs, and expert testimony in court cases. The department has a long and distinguished history of training undergraduate and graduate students who hold teaching appointments at schools, universities and colleges across the United States and around the world, as well as in a broad range of other appointments including in museums, NGOs, historical societies, law, and as grant writers, historical consultants and researchers.

This position is subject to the Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure, the Administrative Procedure, Procedures for Reviewing Candidates for Tenure and/or Promotion: Tenure-Track and Tenured Faculty, and additional policies and procedures.

The Standards for Promotion and Tenure in the Department of African American & African Studies in the College of Liberal Arts are available here.

Information on faculty workload guidelines and principles in the College of Liberal Arts is available here.

The College of Liberal Arts is committed to intellectual freedom, the pursuit of new knowledge, and the belief that the liberal arts are the foundation of academic learning. The college prepares students to be independent and original thinkers, and innovators in their chosen fields; to create meaning in their lives and in their life's work, and to become productive citizens and leaders in their communities and the world.

The College of Liberal Arts values diverse cultures, experiences, and perspectives as key to innovation and excellent education. www.cla.umn.edu

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Home to the arts, social sciences and humanities disciplines and programs, the College of Liberal Arts is the largest college in the University of Minnesota and comprises 31 academic departments, and over 20 interdisciplinary research centers and administrative/support units. CLA has over 1,300 faculty and staff spanning research, teaching, advising, outreach, and administrative functions. CLA units reside in over twenty buildings on the East Bank and West Bank of the Twin Cities campus. CLA enrolls nearly 13,000 undergraduate students, over 40% of the undergraduate enrollment on the Twin Cities campus, 1,400 graduate students, and has an annual all-funds budget of $290 million.

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The Benefits of Working at the U

Working at the University

At the University of Minnesota, you'll find a flexible work environment and supportive colleagues who are interested in lifelong learning. We prioritize work-life balance, allowing you to invest in the future of your career and in your life outside of work.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefits.

Applications must be submitted online through the University of Minnesota's employment

system, at https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/364791. To be considered for this position, please click the APPLY button and follow the instructions. Search for Job Opening ID 364791 and follow the instructions. Priority will be given to completed applications received by October 21, 2024. However, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. If you have any questions about the position, please contact the Chair of the Search Committee at aaashire@umn.edu

To complete the online application for the position, attach the following: (1) a cover letter describing your interest in the position, your research and teaching interests, and your qualifications and experience; and (2) your curriculum vitae, which should include the names of three references who may be contacted directly by the search committee to provide letters of recommendation; and (3) a writing sample of your scholarly research (an article or chapter, published or not), which must be attached as an additional document through your "My Activities" page. Other additional materials also may be requested from candidates at a later date. Additional documents may be attached after the initial application by accessing your "My Activities" page. No postal submissions will be accepted.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

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The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

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