Assistant Professor, Histories of Black Montreal/ Histoires des noirs à Montréal

Job title: Assistant Professor, Histories of Black Montreal/ Histoires des noirs à Montréal
Position code: 24-R-HIST-O
Date posted: October 2, 2024
Application deadline: February 15, 2025
Advertised until: Position is filled

Position description

The Department of History invites applications for a Tenure-Track position in Histories of Black Montréal / Histoires des noirs à Montréal at the rank of Assistant Professor. Duties include research, teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, graduate supervision, and service to the institution. 

Research areas for this position include a full range of themes and foci animating the field of Black Studies, including, but not limited to histories of power and oppression, equity and social justice, identity and intersectionality, resistance and social change, and knowledge production and health. We are especially interested in applicants who are able to work effectively with students from diverse backgrounds. The successful candidate will be involved in the implementation of the new Black Studies and African Diaspora in the Canada Context Studies program, currently under development, as part of the recommendations emerging from the President’s Taskforce on Anti-Black Racism. As such, teaching duties will include courses in the Black Studies and African Diaspora in the Canada Context Studies program in addition to teaching in the Department of History.

Qualifications and assets 

Candidates are expected to have completed a PhD in History or a related field by the start date of the appointment. The successful candidate will be comfortable working in an interdisciplinary milieu. Well-established ties within Black communities are essential, as is a commitment to building lasting relationships with specific Black diasporic communities in Montreal, Quebec and Canada. Given the nature of this position, demonstrated proficiency in both English and French is required.

The main criteria for selection are scholarly and teaching excellence. The successful candidate will provide evidence of high-quality scholarly or research-creation output that demonstrates potential for independent research leading to peer assessed publications and the securing of external research funding. They will also have a track-record of or potential for innovative curriculum initiatives and evidence of or potential for inclusive teaching. The successful candidate will also demonstrate strong potential for outstanding teaching contributions at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Candidates are encouraged to share any career interruptions or personal circumstances that may have had an impact on their career goals in their letter of application. These will be carefully considered in the assessment process. The Department values diversity among its faculty and strongly encourages applications from those that will contribute to that profile. Concordia University is an English-language institution of higher learning at which the primary language of instruction and research is English. Since this position supports academic functions of the university, proficiency in English is required.               

How to Apply 

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and Permanent Residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University is obliged to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. While applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenship, all applicants must include one of the following statements: 

Yes, I am a citizen or permanent resident of Canada 

or 

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

Applications should be addressed to Dr. Alison Rowley, Chair, Department of History, and must include a cover letter clearly identifying the title and position code (24-R-HIST-O), a detailed curriculum vitae, teaching and research statements, evidence of teaching effectiveness (e.g. teaching evaluations, supporting materials such as course syllabi), a writing sample, and the names and contact information of three referees. Applications should be submitted electronically to History.Chair@concordia.ca by February 15, 2025, but will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The appointment is expected to commence in August 2025.

Concordia University is strongly committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community, and recognizes the importance of inclusion in achieving excellence in teaching and research. As part of this commitment to providing our students with the dynamic, innovative, and inclusive educational environment of a Next‐Generation University, we require all applicants to articulate in their cover letter how their background, as well as lived and professional experiences and expertise have prepared them to teach in ways that are relevant for a diverse, multicultural contemporary Canadian society. 

Possible examples to demonstrate a diverse experience may include, but are not limited to: 

• teaching about underrepresented populations 
• mentoring students from underrepresented backgrounds 
• committee work 
• offering or organizing educational programming 
• participation in training and workshops 

All applicants will receive an email invitation to complete a short equity survey. Participation in the survey is voluntary and no identifying information about candidates will be shared with hiring committees. Candidates who wish to self-identify as a member of an underrepresented group to the hiring committee may do so in their cover letter or by writing directly to the contact person indicated in this posting.