Assistant Professor in Indigenous Literatures and Intercultural Understanding

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The Department of English in the Faculty of Arts invites applications for a tenure-track appointment in Indigenous Literatures and Intercultural Understanding, Critical or Creative Writing at the rank of Assistant Professor with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2025.

This position is a part of a larger hiring cluster to support one (or more) strategic priorities in Arts, which are: Justice, Equity and Transformation; Connection, Community and Culture; Digital; Futures; Health and Wellness; and Climate, Energy and Sustainability.

This position is in keeping with the University’s seven commitments in ii’ taa’poh’to’p and reflects the Department of English’s commitment to continue to renew relationships with Indigenous communities and to foster intercultural dialogue. Aligning also with the University of Calgary’s transdisciplinary areas of focus on Democracy, Justice, and Sustainability; and Health and Life, this position advocates for Indigenous literary works as being vital to the work of decolonial justice, of fostering healthy communities, and of encouraging intercultural dialogue in keeping with the outcomes of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Qualifications: The successful candidate will hold a PhD in English or a closely related discipline with a specialization in Indigenous Literatures, and demonstrated experience teaching Indigenous Literatures is an asset. Candidates who are near completion of their program will be considered; however, preference will be given to candidates with a completed degree.

The successful applicant will be expected to establish and/or maintain an active research program with the ability to secure external research funding; produce high impact research and scholarship in the area of specialization; teach graduate and undergraduate courses and supervise graduate and undergraduate students in the Department of English; engage in meaningful service activities within the department, faculty, university and community.

Applicants must provide evidence of a record of excellence in research that centers Indigenous Literatures, as well as teaching and student mentorship. Excellence will be demonstrated in research through such measures as peer-reviewed publications (or equivalent) and a track-record of (or potential for) successful grant applications. Evidence of excellent teaching can be demonstrated through course development, teaching effectiveness, pedagogical innovation, and measures used to create an inclusive learning environment.

Creative writing applicants will have published in at least one genre of creative writing, including but not limited to: popular genre, fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or hybrid form work. Publication or teaching experience in a second genre will be an asset.

The Department of English is a research-intensive department with high standards in teaching. We value interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches to research and training, and strongly encourage collaboration. Our department has thriving MA and PhD programs, and significant expertise and recognized strengths in Canadian and global English literature, creative writing, new media and digital humanities, popular genre fiction, among other areas including traditional anglophone and historical literary studies. For more information about the Department of English, please visit https://arts.ucalgary.ca/english.

At present, the Department offers English 212: Critical Writing and Indigenous Literatures; English 251: Literature and Society (dedicated section for the Indigenous Student Access Program); English 376: Indigenous Literatures of Turtle Island; English 493: Global Indigenous Literatures; and a range of advanced seminars and special topics courses. Many courses across the Department, moreover, feature a commitment to Indigenous literatures.

How to Apply: Interested individuals are encouraged to apply online. Please be aware that the application allows for only four attachments. Your four application attachments should be organized to contain the following (which may require you to merge documents):
• A letter of interest that details how you meet the requirements of the position
• An up-to-date curriculum vitae
• For creative writing: No more than two samples, either one long form creative work or up to two short-form creative works
• For critical: No more than one sample of scholarly writing
• A statement of teaching philosophy and a teaching dossier, which must include, at minimum, two sample syllabi and summaries of the quantitative and qualitative results of two sets of course evaluations, if available
• An equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) statement identifying the applicant’s contributions or potential contributions to advancing a culture of equity and inclusion
• Names and contact information for three referees

For questions about the posting, please direct your inquiries to:

Dr. Ozouf S. Amedegnato, Interim Head
Department of English
Faculty of Arts
[email protected]

Closing Date: March 18, 2025. The selection committee will begin reviewing applications on March 24, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Please submit your application online via the following link: https://careers.ucalgary.ca/jobs/15621453-assistant-professor-in-indigenous-literatures-and-intercultural-understanding

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([email protected]).

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. In this connection, at the time of your application, please answer the following question: Are you a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada? (Yes/No)

The University of Calgary recognizes that candidates have varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an excellent academic record. Candidates are encouraged but not required to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions to allow for a fair assessment of their application. Selection committees have been instructed to give careful consideration to and be sensitive to the impact of career interruptions when assessing the candidate’s research productivity.

For a listing of all academic opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Academic Careers website. For more information about the Faculty of Arts, click here.

About the University of Calgary
UCalgary is Canada’s entrepreneurial university, located in Canada’s most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada’s leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

About Calgary, Alberta
Calgary is one of the world’s cleanest cities and has been named one of the world’s most livable cities for years. Calgary is a city of leaders – in business, community, philanthropy and volunteerism. Calgarians benefit from a growing number of world-class dining and cultural events and enjoy more days of sunshine per year than any other major Canadian city. Calgary is less than an hour’s drive from the majestic Rocky Mountains and boasts the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America.

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