The Department of History at the University of Minnesota invites applications for an historian (open rank) who investigates how institutions, particularly institutions of higher education, affect their communities and regions in a variety of ways including the reproduction of social power and inequality. The successful candidate will conduct research on the history of the University of Minnesota in relation to communities and organizations within Minnesota, working in close collaboration with archivists at the University Libraries. We are especially interested in candidates with expertise in the history of institutions, including institutions of higher education, as well as their intersections with Indigenous, African-American, and/or women's and gender history  The new hire will take a community-engaged approach to archival and interpretive work, involving students, alumni, and other stakeholders in a process of collaborative inquiry.

In addition to developing undergraduate and graduate courses that align with the candidate's research expertise and serve the department's curriculum, the new hire will be asked to develop one or more dynamic courses on the history of the University of Minnesota that will involve students in processes of research and interpretation and place the University in conversation with histories of higher education in the upper Midwest. The teaching responsibilities of the new colleague would be in both the Department of History and the program in Heritage Studies and Public History (HSPH), the precise details to be determined by the colleague’s expertise. The University Libraries is hiring an additional archivist to work in the University Archives; it is anticipated that this colleague will work closely with archivists in University Archives and with other curators in the department of Archives and Special Collections. We would encourage this colleague to explore the possibility of team-teaching with an archivist.

The position would also be a welcome addition to the program in Heritage Studies and Public History. This colleague would mentor public historians in the Masters and PhD minor programs and would help integrate the history of the University into the array of diverse community-engaged public history projects that HSPH has developed in collaboration with the Minnesota Historical Society and other institutions. The colleague would also work with PhD students in the Department of History.

The Department of History has a strong commitment to diversity. We encourage scholars from underrepresented groups to apply. We welcome experience working with diverse students, in multicultural environments, and interest in developing curricula related to diverse populations.

Appointment will be 100% time over the nine-month academic year (late-August to late-May).  The position will be open rank and open appointment type (tenure track, tenured, contract).The rank will depend on the qualifications and experience of the candidate, and consistent with collegiate and University policy.

A completed PhD or foreign equivalent in history or in a related field with a focus on history, in hand before beginning the appointment (August 30, 2021), and scholarship on a topic appropriate to the position, broadly conceived, are required. Candidates must demonstrate scholarly excellence with evidence of potential for scholarly distinction and an ability to teach at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Salary is competitive.

Candidates will be evaluated according to a) overall quality of their academic preparation and scholarly work, b) relevance of their scholarly research to the department's academic priorities and fields of inquiry, c) evidence of commitment to teaching and skills as a teacher, and d) strength of recommendations.