The Africa Institute of the Global Studies University is seeking applications for the (open rank) position of Assistant to Full Professor in African and African Diaspora Literature and/or Cultural Studies within the Department of Humanities.
Preference will be given to candidates with a proven record of excellence in scholarship and teaching related to literary studies at the graduate level. In addition, the preference will be given to scholars who have demonstrated knowledge of critical race studies as it relates to an interdisciplinary program. We are interested in a candidate possessing expertise in African and/or African Diaspora literature and culture, across colonial, and post-colonial periods, and covering regions other than East Africa. The potential candidate should exhibit a deep understanding of literature and culture, approaching the extensive and rapidly evolving literature of the African world with a critical perspective.
The appointed individual will be responsible for teaching two courses per semester, totaling four courses throughout the academic calendar. Additionally, the appointed individual will provide guidance to graduate students and actively contribute to the vibrant interdisciplinary community within the Department and beyond. This is a full-time, 9-month position beginning in the Fall of 2024, at The Africa Institute located in Sharjah, UAE.
Applicants are required to have a Ph.D. in African and/or African Diaspora literary and cultural studies at the time of appointment, from fields such as English, Literature, African American Studies, Cultural Studies, or a related field in the humanities, at the time of appointment. The successful candidate will be expected to engage in an active program of scholarly research and publication, participate in committees, and supervise student research, master’s thesis, and doctoral dissertations. Faculty members at the institute contribute to the development of an innovative, interdisciplinary curriculum and provide students with diverse learning experiences through a combination of teaching, research, and service.
The Africa Institute is a globally oriented institution of research, documentation, study and teaching of Africa and its diaspora, in the humanities and social sciences. It is conceived as a research-based think-tank, and a postgraduate studies institution (offering both master’s and Ph.D. programs, and diplomas in African Languages and Translation), which aims to train a new generation of critical thinkers in African and African diaspora studies. The Africa Institute is proposed to be a model center of excellence in research, teaching, and documentation that is hoped to match in quality and breadth of coverage, existing peers of African and African Diaspora Studies in Africa, Europe, and North America. The Africa Institute is now integrated into the newly established Global Studies University (GSU) to form one of its networks of semi-independent institutes and colleges, each concentrating in different regions worldwide. These globally oriented institutions aim to focus on postgraduate studies, research, and documentation of histories, cultures, and peoples who constitute different regions of the world. The institution is led by Hoor Al Qasimi, President of The Africa Institute, and Salah M. Hassan, Dean of The Africa Institute and Chancellor of Global Studies University. Read more
To apply, interested individuals must electronically submit a letter of application, CV, and the contact information of three scholarly references. The application should also include a statement of teaching philosophy, showcasing successful teaching experience, and addressing strategies for serving a classroom with diverse backgrounds. Additionally, candidates should provide a statement outlining their research activities, a writing sample consisting of either a published journal article, a book chapter, or a dissertation chapter. The writing sample should be roughly equivalent in length to a standard academic journal article.
All applications should be sent to careers@theafricainstitute.org, and the subject line for the email should be the position being applied to.
The position is open until filled. The starting date of employment is Fall 2024.