Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Latin American and/or Latinx Studies

The Department of World Languages and Cultures in the College of Arts and Sciences at American University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor, in Latin American and/or Latinx Studies, to begin in Fall 2018. Specifically, we seek applications from candidates engaged in scholarship on Afro-Hispanic/Latinx studies whose research and teaching address the intersection of issues of race, culture, language, and ethnicity that are specific to the Latinx and/or Latin American experience. The successful candidate will teach four courses per year in their area of specialization at the undergraduate and Master’s level, in addition to providing support to core courses in Latin American Studies and Spanish language. Applicants should have a PhD or anticipate PhD completion by August 2018 in relevant fields such as literature, cultural studies, or sociolinguistics.

Applicants should be effective teachers and demonstrate both an established record and ongoing potential for excellence in scholarship. Native or near-native fluency in Spanish is required. The ideal candidate will demonstrate specific interest in the role language plays in formations of race and ethnicity, both with regard to power relations generated between and across cultures in contexts of colonization and migration, and to the emergence of shared cultural and linguistic experiences.

AU is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community that is welcoming to Latinx students, the fastest growing population on campus, comprising 11% of AU’s undergraduate student body. We will consider applicants from diverse fields and areas of specializations. Sample areas of expertise include (1) specialization in literature of the Black Atlantic working on subversive narratives of cimarronaje and relating this research to current conversations on US racial formation; (2) specialization in sociolinguistics with a focus on Spanish language use among Afro-Caribbeans and/or other bicultural/bilingual Latinx communities ; or (3) specialization in critical race studies and transnational approaches to examining representations of Latin Americans/Latinxs in popular culture.

The successful candidate’s research will align explicitly with AU 2030’s emphasis on Latin American/Latinx Studies, commitment to diversity, interdisciplinary inquiry, and international understanding. Additionally, the successful candidate will demonstrate collaborative approaches in their research that will help our department strengthen its ties and influence across the university and its various relevant initiatives and centers such as the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies, the Anti-Racist Research and Policy Center, the Center for Diversity & Inclusion, and The Critical Race, Gender, and Cultural Studies Collaborative (which includes the Program in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies). All faculty are expected to hold office hours and participate in Department, School, and University activities and service. Demonstrated commitment to working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment as a faculty member at AU is required. Applicants from historically underrepresented minority and identity groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Salary and benefits are competitive. To ensure the fullest consideration, applications should be submitted by November 1, 2017. Review of applications will begin immediately thereafter and will continue until the position is filled. Please submit applications via: http://apply.interfolio.com/44192  Include a letter of application, curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, recent teaching evaluations (when possible), and copies of recent published papers or working papers.  Please contact Ethan Goss-Alexander, Senior Administrative Assistant, 202-885-2394 or wlc@american.edu if you have any questions. 

Established in 1925, the College of Arts and Sciences offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Learn more about the College of Arts and Sciences at www.american.edu/cas and about the department at http://www.american.edu/cas/wlc, American University is a private institution within easy reach of the many centers of government, business, research, and the arts located within the nation's capital.  For more information about American University, visit www.american.edu.

American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.  The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively “Protected Bases”) in its programs and activities.  American University is a tobacco and smoke free campus.