Assistant Professor - Sociocultural Anthropology

Date Posted: 11/08/2021
Closing Date: 12/13/2021, 11:59PM ET
Req ID: 12007
Job Category: Faculty - Tenure Stream (continuing)
Faculty/Division: University of Toronto Scarborough
Department: UTSC: Dept of Anthropology
Campus:University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC)

Description:

The Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), invites applications for a full-time tenure stream position in the area of Sociocultural Anthropology, with a focus on one or more of the following areas: Race/anti-racism, Environment, Medical Anthropology, Science and Technology Studies. The appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an expected start date of July 1, 2022, or shortly thereafter.

The University of Toronto Scarborough is implementing a new Strategic Plan: Inspiring Inclusive Excellence. Consistent with the values and objectives in that plan, we especially welcome candidates who self-identify as Indigenous, Black, or belonging to other racialized (persons of colour) communities. This position is part of a cohort of similar faculty searches in Anthropology, Arts, Culture & Media, Sociology and Management. New colleagues will have the opportunity to be connected with recent cohorts of faculty from under-represented groups include those hired in the last two years in numerous departments and interdisciplinary centres spanning the Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities.

Applicants must have earned a PhD in Anthropology or a closely related discipline by the time of appointment, or shortly thereafter, with a demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching. We seek candidates whose research and teaching experience has been informed by  anti-racist, non-Eurocentric, and decolonial approaches to pedagogy and scholarship; and by rich, ethnographically grounded anthropological research. Geographical area is open, although we particularly invite candidates with experience working in Africa or the African diasporas, or with Indigenous peoples. Candidates research area (s) should focus on one or more of the following themes: (1) environment, land politics, the climate crisis; (2) medical anthropology; (3) science and technology studies.  We seek candidates whose research in these areas foregrounds anti-colonialism, structural racism, racial capitalism, and/or the legacies of white supremacy.

The student body at the University of Toronto Scarborough is among the most diverse in the world, and as a department, we seek to provide an environment that prioritizes inclusivity and enables faculty and students from historically and currently marginalized backgrounds to flourish. Thus, as part of the application process, we ask candidates to craft a “Diversity, Inclusivity, and/or Anti-Racism” statement, in which we invite them to reflect on any of the following that may be relevant: their personal experiences as members of historically and currently marginalized identity groups; their experiences working with historically and currently marginalized identity groups; their engagement with inclusivity, diversity, decolonization, and/or anti-racism in their research; and/or how they demonstrate and/or integrate these principles in their pedagogy or professional service. We recognize that candidates from historically and currently marginalized groups face structural and systemic barriers that may have limited their access to and participation in ‘normative’ academic trajectories.  We therefore invite candidates to share with us any number of considerations shaping their personal and professional trajectories and how these have informed their contributions across research, writing, pedagogy, and / or professional work and service.  

The University of Toronto is the highest ranked university in Canada and is internationally recognized as belonging to an exclusive group of top-tier global institutions. The successful candidate will be expected to pursue innovative and independent research at the highest level and to establish an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program. They must also be committed to the highest standard of pedagogy at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Application materials should clearly demonstrate their existing achievements, as well as future trajectories, in both research and teaching.

Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence which can be demonstrated by: a record of publications in top-ranked and field relevant journals; forthcoming publications meeting high international standards; well-developed research ideas for future research as outlined in the submitted research statement; presentations at significant conferences; awards and accolades; and strong endorsements from referees of high standing.

Evidence of excellence in teaching will be provided through teaching accomplishments, the teaching dossier submitted as part of the application which includes: a teaching statement that addresses the candidate’s approach to pedagogy; past teaching accomplishments; selected sample course materials; and teaching evaluations; as well as strong letters of references.

Candidates must also provide evidence of a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and to the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment, as demonstrated through the application materials.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

This appointment is at the University of Toronto Scarborough, which is a research-intensive campus with a commitment to interdisciplinary research, a multicultural student body, and a modern campus. The University offers the opportunity to conduct research, teach, and live in one of the most diverse cities of the world. The successful candidate will also be a member of the tri-campus Graduate Department of Anthropology (http://anthropology.utoronto.ca/graduate) located on the St. George campus in downtown Toronto. The Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto Scarborough includes faculty members with interests in archaeology, sociocultural, linguistic, medical, and evolutionary Anthropology.  For more information about our department, please visit our home page: www.utsc.utoronto.ca/anthropology.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below.

Applicants must submit: a covering letter; a current curriculum vitae; a research statement outlining current and future research interests; one recent or forthcoming publication or other representative writing sample; a teaching dossier which includes a teaching statement that addresses the candidate’s approach to pedagogy, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations; and a “diversity, inclusivity, and/or anti-racism statement” as described above.

Applicants must also provide the name and contact information of three references. The University of Toronto’s recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each once an application has been submitted (this happens overnight). Applicants, however, remain responsible for ensuring that referees submit letters (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date.

Submission guidelines can be found at http://uoft.me/how-to-apply.  Your CV and cover letter should be uploaded into the dedicated fields. Please combine additional application materials into one or two files in PDF/MS format.  If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Sandra Bamford at sandra.bamford@utoronto.ca.

All application materials, including reference letters, must be received by December 13h, 2021.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.