Job: Assistant Professor of Religion and the Environment

Vanderbilt University, Department of Religious Studies

Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Religion and the Environment

We seek a candidate with a PhD degree in Religious Studies or a related humanities/humanistic social science discipline with expertise in the study of religion. Ability to contribute to the College’s new interdisciplinary Climate Studies program is essential.

Area of specialization, theoretical and methodological approach, historical period, cultural framework and geographical locus is open. Some examples of appropriate research foci at the intersection of religion and climate may include but are not limited to animal studies, bioethics, Black geographies and ecologies, comparative eschatologies, earth-based epistemologies and ontologies, immigration and environment, indigenous environmental studies, new religious movements, religious law and ethics, urban ecologies, environmental geopolitics, etc.

The Religious Studies department particularly values a diversity of worldviews and discourses that have been historically marginalized.  In addition to contributing to the growth and development of the department and to the field of Religious Studies, the successful candidate will join a growing number of faculty across the sciences, social sciences and humanities in Climate Studies and benefit from a strong institutional commitment to research and teaching in this area.

The normal tenure-track course load is two courses per semester (four per year). The successful candidate should expect to teach introductory classes in Religious Studies as well as advanced courses in her/his/their area of specialization, and one course yearly in Climate Studies. Qualified candidates should be prepared to mentor graduate students and teach advanced courses in the methodologies appropriate to the study of religion in the Graduate Department of Religion.

PhD must be in-hand no later than August 15, 2022 when employment starts at the beginning of Fall 2022 term.

Applications are accepted only through Interfolio here: http://apply.interfolio.com/93684 .

Deadlines: The deadline for application is 11:59 p.m. CST on October 10, 2021. Application review will begin October 11, 2021.

Required Documentation:

  • Cover letter including personal statement
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Names and contact information for three academic recommenders
  • Research statement
  • Teaching statement and unedited course evaluations (if available)
  • Diversity statement (diversity, equity, and inclusion are growing in importance as benchmarks of success for faculty at Vanderbilt. Tell us some specific ways that you attend to these values and challenges in your work)
  • Graduate/Post-graduate Transcripts (official)
  • Writing sample (@ 30 pp.)


Questions: Direct questions to Laurel Schneider, Chair, Department of Religious Studies, laurel.c.schneider@vanderbilt.edu

Job: Chair in Catholic Studies, University of Kentucky

The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky invites applications for the endowed Cottrill-Rolfes Chair in Catholic Studies to begin August 2022. Competitive applicants will have the rank of Full Professor or its equivalent in scholarship and experience, and a strong reputation related to some aspect of Catholic Studies. The endowment describes Catholic Studies as “the study of the history, literature, philosophy, music, culture, ideology, politics, institutions and traditions of Roman Catholicism.” We are interested in applications from a range of diverse disciplinary approaches as well as different topics as they relate to Catholicism, such as art, architecture, liturgy, gender, race, religious conversion, biblical exegesis, the environment, and more. The scope of the position is global. Applications from scholars who specialize in inter-faith relations and the complexities of cross-cultural encounters are welcome. In concert with faculty across the College and the World Religions program, the Cottrill-Rolfes Chair will develop and implement an active program in Catholic Studies, with the understanding that the activities of the Chair should neither promote nor inhibit the Catholic religion. This will include programming for lectures and events of interest to the larger community on topics extending beyond the Chair’s immediate area of expertise.

The University of Kentucky is an R1 Research University with significant library holdings in Religious Studies, especially in the area of Christianity. Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Arabic, and an array of modern languages are available for undergraduate study. The College of Arts and Sciences has a growing community of internationally recognized scholars with interests in Islamic Studies, Jewish Studies, biblical studies and archaeology, pre-modern Christian history and art, Asian and South Asian religions, vernacular religion, mythology, and Indigenous religions, as well as in the religious dimensions of sociology, anthropology, psychology, gender and women’s studies, and symbolic systems. The student population and faculty are diverse and committed to internationalization. The successful candidate will foster collegial relations and opportunities for intellectual explorations across disciplinary boundaries.

Interested scholars should apply online at: https://ukjobs.uky.edu/postings/349509. Applications should include the following: 1.) a letter that includes a brief description of research interests, prospective projects, and relevant teaching experience, brief proposals for courses in Catholic Studies or Religious Studies, ideas about a lecture series on the theme “Catholicism and…” (upload as Cover Letter);  2.) a curriculum vitae; 3.) a recent, representative article or chapter; in the case of a major digital project for which the applicant is a primary PI, please send a link (upload as Specific Request 1); and 4.) a statement on inclusivity (upload as Specific Request 2). As a college and university, we are strongly committed to creating an inclusive and effective teaching, learning, and working environment for all.  In one to two pages, applicants should reflect on their commitments, approaches, and insights related to inclusion, diversity, and equity. In addition, please provide the names and contact information for three references when prompted in the academic profile. The search committee will use this information when soliciting recommendation letters.

Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2021. Queries may be addressed to Prof. Abigail Firey, Director of World Religions; email afire2@uky.edu.

The University of Kentucky is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from veterans, individuals with disabilities, women, African Americans, and all minorities. Applications from international scholars are welcome.

Openings for Research Associates / Visiting Faculty

HARVARD DIVINITY SCHOOL announces five full-time positions as Research Associate and Visiting Faculty for 2022-23 in its Women’s Studies and Religion Program.  Proposals for book-length projects utilizing both religion and gender as central categories of analysis and focusing on any religion are welcomed. Salary for 2022-23 will be $60,000. 

Completed applications are due online by October 15, 2021.  Applicants must have received their PhD by October 1, 2021.  Please see our website (http://wsrp.hds.harvard.edu/apply) for more information.

The Women’s Studies in Religion Program was founded in 1973 to explore the fundamental role played by religious traditions in defining roles for women and men.  Research on religion and gender sheds light on questions about the changing roles of women both inside religious communities and in broader public spheres.  The Program’s goal is the production of new primary research addressing these and related issues and the dispersal of that information through courses, publications, and public programs.

Contact:

Tracy Wall

wsrp@hds.harvard.edu

www.wsrp.hds.harvard.edu

3 positions in Race, Class, Gender, & Religion

University of Chicago Divinity School

Three open posts for specialists in race, class, gender, & religion

  1. Assistant Professor, Tenure Track – application link: apply.interfolio.com/89120
  2. Associate or Full Professor, Tenured – application link: apply.interfolio.com/89122
  3. Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow, Tenure Track – application link: apply.interfolio.com/89116

Job Descriptions:

The University of Chicago Divinity School invites applications for the above position from scholars whose work brings together race and religion, for an appointment date of July 1, 2022.  We understand both of these terms, race and religion, capaciously and are open to work across methods, disciplines, periods, and geographies. Candidates are expected to have the interest and ability to engage in interdisciplinary conversations with other scholars of religion and in other fields and areas within the University.

The Divinity School is the graduate professional school for the academic study of religion at the University of Chicago, a private research university. Faculty in the School teach graduate students in its Ph.D., M.A., M.Div., and A.M.R.S. programs; and undergraduates in the College. Many members of the faculty hold associate appointments in humanities or social science departments and professional schools of the University.

Candidates must hold the Ph.D. by the time of appointment.

The Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow position will appointed at the rank of Instructor for an initial two-year period to start July 1, 2022. This initial period is intended to serve in lieu of a postdoctoral appointment. Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellows will teach one class/year, receive research support, join a cohort of Fellows, and participate in programming designed to support them as they prepare for a review for promotion to Assistant Professor at the end of their two-year term.

Review of applications for all three positions will begin September 15, 2021 and will continue until the position(s) is/are filled or the search is closed.  Applicants should submit 1) a cover letter, 2) a curriculum vita, 3) a teaching statement, 4) syllabi, 5) a statement articulating future research agenda, 6) a writing sample of 25-40 pages, and 7) three letters of reference. Reference letter submission information will be provided during the application process. Applications should be made online, at one of the Interfolio links above.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-1032 or email equalopportunity@uchicago.edu with their request.

Employer Description:

The Divinity School is the graduate professional school for the academic study of religion at the University of Chicago, a private research university. Faculty in the School teach graduate students in its Ph.D., M.A., M.Div., and A.M.R.S. programs; and undergraduates in the College. Many members of the faculty hold associate appointments in humanities or social science departments and professional schools of the University.

Contact: Sara Bigger – sfbigger@uchicago.edu

Job Opening: Science and the Transmission of Islamic Knowledge

Research Fellow, ‘Science and the Transmission of Islamic Knowledge in Britain’, Department of Theology and Religion, University of Birmingham

Part time 80% FTE, fixed term for 24 months

This position is for a post-doctoral Research Fellow to work on the new Templeton Religion Trust-funded research project, ‘Science and the Transmission of Islamic Knowledge in Britain’. This project will investigate how the relationship between Islam and science is understood and discussed by those involved in the transmission of Islamic knowledge and the establishment of Islamic authority in Britain. It will examine: if, and how, scientific concepts are used by Muslim religious leaders to legitimise their arguments; if Islamic education centres and religious leaders oppose any scientific theories, and if so what movements influence them; and how Muslim leaders’ answers to questions about science and Islam are affected by UK policy context and Muslims’ position within British society. It will provide one of the first in-depth portraits of whether, when and how Muslim religious leaders interact with scientific concepts and popular narratives about science.

The post holder will work with the Principal Investigator and external Co-investigator to conduct ethnographic observation of women’s and co-educational Islamic educational institutions as well as interview research with current and in-training Muslim religious leaders. They will also assist in research by carrying out literature reviews, conducting data analysis and writing up research findings. The post holder will be expected to engage in, and support, aspects of project dissemination, team meetings and international networking activities, including contributing the project-related websites, workshops and seminars. They will also be expected to effectively contribute to the presentation and dissemination of research outputs, including developing academic and non-academic publications/presentations.

Some of the responsibilities of this role are outlined below.

  • With the PI and Co-I, negotiate access to research sites and interviewees.
  • Conduct ethnographic and interview research at two case study sites, as well as interviews at a variety of settings around the UK.
  • Undertake research administration and support the PI and Co-I in research management.
  • Analyse and interpret data gathered for the project.
  • Co-ordinate the collaborative preparation of findings for dissemination to academic and non-academic audiences both in the UK and internationally.
  • Present research outputs at UK-based and international conferences and contribute to academic publications.
  • Actively contribute to public reports based on the data collected and related public/media engagement activity.
  • Work with Muslim educational and community organisations to set up forums for the discussion and dissemination of the research.
  • Provide guidance to support staff and any students and colleagues who may be assisting with research.

For informal inquiries, please contact Dr Stephen Jones (PI) at s.h.jones@bham.ac.uk.

As this vacancy has limited funding, the maximum salary that can be offered is Grade 7, salary £30,942.

Closing date: 24th Feb 2021 Reference: 12098

Postdoc in the Sociology of Religion

Happy New Year dear SocRel colleagues!

I would like to draw your attention to a 2-year post doc open at the University of Helsinki, with a focus on sociology of religion (religion in Europe, religion and migration, stats skills preferred, but all considered).

https://www.helsinki.fi/fi/avoimet-tyopaikat/postdoctoral-researcher

Please share!

Best,
Dr Titus Hjelm
Associate Professor in the Study of Religion
Department of Cultures
University of Helsinki

ISA Publications Committee looking for a Social Media Manager

The International Sociological Association’s Publications Committee is looking for a Social Media Manager. We have really little time to fill the position and deadline is approaching soon (Dec 18th)

I kindly request you disseminate the CFA among your contacts and potential candidates

https://www.isa-sociology.org/uploads/imgen/866-isa-social-media-manager.pdf

ECR (including PhD students) and colleagues from under-represented regions are particularly welcome. If you could identify someone who have the experience and the stamina to join the team, please encourage them to apply.

I will be glad to answer any queries the potential candidates may have. Please ask them to contact me directly at eloisamartin@hotmail.com .

Thanks a lot!
Stay safe and healthy!

Dr. Eloísa Martín
Associate Professor, United Arab Emirates University
Associate Professor, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (on leave)
Vice-President for Publications, International Sociological Association (ISA)
Chair, ISA Human Rights Committee

UQAM – AU DÉPARTEMENT DE SCIENCES DES RELIGIONS – POSTE DE PROFESSEURE, PROFESSEUR EN THÉORIES DE LA RELIGION

L’entrée en fonction est prévue au 1er juin 2020 sous réserve des autorisations budgétaires requises.

L’UQAM recherche des candidates et candidats qualifiés afin de renouveler son corps professoral et assurer un développement de qualité́ dans tous les domaines d’activités.

SOMMAIRE DE LA FONCTION :

  • Enseignement et encadrement aux trois cycles d’études

  • Recherche dans le domaine

  • Services à la collectivité́

EXIGENCES :

  • Doctorat en sciences des religions ou en philosophie ou dans une discipline connexe

  • Connaissance approfondie des théories de la religion et de leurs fondements philosophiques

  • Capacité́ d’articuler des lectures critiques du fait religieux

  • Compétence en herméneutique des manifestations contemporaines du religieux

  • Capacité́ d’élaborer et de maintenir un programme de recherche subventionnée

  • Solide dossier de recherche et de publications scientifiques

  • Expérience en enseignement

  • Aptitudes dans le domaine du service à la collectivité́

  • Maitrise du français tant à l’oral qu’à l’écrit

DATE D’ENTRÉE EN FONCTION : 1er Juin 2020

TRAITEMENT : Selon la convention collective UQAM-SPUQ

L’Université́ du Québec à Montréal souscrit à un programme d’accès à l’égalité́ en emploi. De ce fait, elle invite les femmes, les autochtones, les membres des minorités visibles, des minorités ethniques et les personnes en situation de handicap qui répondent aux exigences du poste à soumettre leur candidature. Nous encourageons les personnes qui s’identifient à l’un ou l’autre de ces groupes à remplir le Questionnaire d’identification à la présente adresse et à le joindre à leur dossier de candidature : www.rhu.uqam.ca/visiteurs/egalite/QuestionnaireAccesEgalite.pdf. Nous encourageons toutes les candidates, tous les candidats qualifiés à postuler; la priorité́ sera toutefois accordée aux Canadiennes, Canadiens ainsi qu’aux résidentes, résidents permanents.

Les personnes intéressées sont priées de faire parvenir un curriculum vitae en français, détaillé́, daté et signé, incluant trois lettres de recommandation AVANT LE 31 janvier 17 h à:

Madame Marie-Andrée Roy, directrice

Département de sciences des religions

Université́ du Québec à Montréal

C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-ville

Montréal (Québec) H3C 3P8

Téléphone: 514 987-3000, poste 7860

Télécopieur: 514 987-7856

Job Opening: Social Theory and the Digital Study of Religion

The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of assistant professor in the area of Social Theory and the Digital Study of Religion, beginning August 2020.

The area of specialization (historic period, region, or group studied) is open; however, the successful candidate must complement and enhance the current specialties of the Department by using social theory to understand religion as an element of culture. The specific research area is thus part of the scholar’s attempt to answer broader, cross-cultural questions related to identity, power, and discourse. This position will supplement the Department’s B.A. curriculum (which now includes a digital humanities course) and will be of primary importance to the Religion in Culture M.A. program (which requires students to be familiar with a variety of digital skills). While a variety of digital specialties are potentially relevant, the Department is especially looking for a scholar with demonstrated expertise in digital humanities research methods (e.g., computational text analysis, data visualization, network analysis, GIS, etc.) and public humanities (e.g., digital collections, digital curation, podcasting, etc.)

The successful candidate will teach courses ranging from introductory/lower- and upper-level B.A. courses to graduate seminars on a variety of analytic topics related to the successful candidate’s historical and/or ethnographic area(s) of specialization. Additionally, the candidate will contribute to the department’s establishment of interdisciplinary digital humanities courses. All faculty are also expected to supervise M.A. students in the social theory of religion when student interests intersect with faculty expertise.

At the time of hire, a Ph.D. is required. The committee welcomes applications from candidates with training in the academic study of religion as carried out in a public university, but will also entertain training in related fields (literature, history, anthropology, etc.), as long as expertise in studying and teaching social theory and digital methods in the study of religion are evident. Applicants should demonstrate an active and ongoing research agenda, highlight their teaching experience, and make readily apparent their ability to contribute to the life of an academic department in the areas of service and collaboration.

For further information, see: https://facultyjobs.ua.edu/postings/45867

News & Opportunities from the Australian Association for the Study of Religion

The AASR 2019 Conference on ‘Religion and Violence’ is open for registration. Presenters: please ensure you register by 4 November 2019 to be included in the program. A conference schedule is nowavailable with exciting pre-conference workshops on 4 December that include:

The Journal for the Academic Study of Religion has a new list of books up for review. More info.

Call for Papers:
Conferences

  • Artificial Intelligence and Religion – AIR2020, 3 – 5 March 2020, Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Trento. Abstract deadline: 21 October 2019. More info.
  • What’s God got to do with it? Debating religion and forced migration entanglements, July 27-30, 2020, Accra, Ghana. Abstract deadline: 25 October 2019. More info.
  • The 25th Nordic Conference in the Sociology of Religion. 17-19 August 2020, Gothenburg, Sweden on ‘Religious Organisation(s): Challenges and changes in contemporary society’. Session proposal deadline: 15 November 2019. More info.
  • Rethinking​ ​Media, Religion and Secularities. Conference of the International Society for Media, Religion and Culture Conference location: Sigtuna Foundation, Sigtuna, Sweden. Conference dates: 4-7 of August 2020. Deadline for Paper proposals: 6 December 2019. More info.
  • The XXII Quinquennial World Congress of the IAHR, hosted by the New Zealand Association for the Study of Religions, will take place at the University of Otago, in Dunedin, New Zealand from 23-29 August 2020. Submission deadline 31 December 2019. More info.

  Publications

  • Call for book proposals: Bloomsbury welcomes book proposals for Bloomsbury Studies in Material Religion, edited by Birgit Meyer (University of Utrecht, the Netherlands), David Morgan (Duke University, USA), Crispin Paine (UCL, UK), S. Brent Plate (Hamilton College, USA), and Amy Whitehead (Bath Spa University, UK). More info.
  • Book Proposals in East Asian Religions. More info.
  • Chapters: Religious Responses to Sex Work and Sex Trafficking – Routledge. Deadline for AASR members: 11 October 2019. More info.
  • Special Issue: Religion, Economy, and Class in Global Context. Abstract deadline 15 October 2019. More info.
  • Call for papers on Religion & Ecology for a special issue of Religions. Deadline 31 May 2020.

Events/Seminars

  • The 2019 Hans Mol Memorial Lecture: “Imagining Asian Australia: Constructions of ‘Asian Religion’ and Australian Federation” by Professor Marion Maddox, 18 October 2019. More info.
  • The 2019 Freilich Lecture of Bigotry and Tolerance: “An Australian Story: The Politics of Bigotry in a Tolerant Country” by David Marr. 31 October 2019. More info.
  • Religion in Contemporary Society – What do we need to know to manage complexity?
    31 October 2019, Turku/Åbo, Finland. More info.
  • Migrant Youth in Multicultural Cities: Comparative Perspectives on Culture, Religion and Identity. 31 October 2019, Deakin University. Panellists: Prof Lori Beaman, A/Prof Serena Hussain and Prof Fethi Mansouri. More info.

Job Opportunities