Senior Instructional Professor, Academic Director - Program for Public Thinking and Discourse
University of Chicago (UC)
Application
Details
Posted: 27-Nov-24
Location: Chicago, IL
Internal Number: 159702
The Humanities Collegiate Division and the Program for Public Thinking at the University of Chicago are accepting applications for the position of a Senior Instructional Professor (open rank) and Academic Director. The Academic Director will play an instrumental role in the development and management of the newly-established Program for Public Thinking and teach up to four courses per year, depending on other duties. This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position with a three-year or five-year renewable term, depending on rank, to start 1 September 2025.
Rooted in the university?s commitment to open-ended inquiry, rigorous argument, and intellectual pluralism, the Program for Public Thinking is focused on fostering critical thinking about both the philosophy and practice of public intellectual life. The Academic Director will implement the Program?s dual mission: on the one hand, advancing scholarly inquiry into long-running debates about what it means to "think in public"; and on the other, modeling and encouraging thoughtful participation in today?s public conversation. At the heart of the program will be a curriculum developed by the Academic Director in consultation with the Faculty Director, Program Implementation Coordinator, and the Faculty Advisory Board. The curriculum will combine rigorous study of intellectual history with an inquiry into the present-day challenges of communicating about ideas in a rapidly evolving public sphere. Integrated into the College?s distinctive undergraduate curriculum, the courses will reflect the conviction that humanistic education and a familiarity with a diversity of intellectual, religious, and political traditions are centerpieces of addressing the challenges faced by public thinkers today.
Pedagogy is a mainstay of this position, and therefore we seek candidates who are able to design and teach impactful courses on the history, philosophy, and practice of public thinking. The Academic Director will be responsible for planning, staffing, and coordinating all courses in the Program, including the supervision and evaluation of unionized lecturers. In addition, the Academic Director is expected to contribute to the Program?s co-curricular programming, outreach efforts, grant writing, foundation reporting, and fundraising. The course assignments and other duties will be determined annually by the Faculty Director of the Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse. Reporting to the Faculty Director, the Academic Director will work with the Implementation Coordinator and other stakeholders to develop all aspects of the Program?s academic curriculum, including advising and mentoring students, developing co-curricular programming, and integrating the Program for Public Thinking into the life of the College and the University.
A bachelor?s degree in the humanities or social sciences is required.
A doctoral or a terminal master?s degree is preferred.
Experience teaching at the college level is required.
Experience editing and / or writing longform reviews, criticism, or essays for non-academic publications about art, culture, politics, or intellectual life is required.
Research or writing about public discourse and issues related to free expression may be helpful but is not required.
Demonstrable administrative skill, entrepreneurial drive, and experience managing people is a plus.
Applicants should submit through the University of Chicago?s Interfolio website apply.interfolio.com/159702 and upload the following materials:
A current CV.
Cover letter discussing interest in and qualifications for the position
Teaching materials that demonstrate pedagogical experience and effectiveness, such as sample syllabi, assignments, course evaluations, and a teaching statement.
Copies of or links to public-facing writing about art, politics, culture, or intellectual life.
Names and contact information of three references whose letters of recommendation may be solicited.
Review of applications will begin on January 6, 2025 and continue until the position is filled. Only complete applications will be considered. The position is contingent upon budgetary approval.
Questions about the position may be directed to Christopher Wild (wild@uchicago.edu), Faculty Director of the Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse, or Germaine Kindred (gkindred@uchicago.edu), Program Administrator.
All University departments and institutes are charged with building a faculty from a diversity of backgrounds and with diverse viewpoints; with cultivating an inclusive community that values freedom of expression; and with welcoming and supporting all their members.
We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages diverse perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange. The University?s Statements on Diversity are at https://provost.uchicago.edu/statements-diversity.
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, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or 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 773-834-3988 or email equalopportunity@uchicago.edu with their request.
One of the world's premier academic and research institutions, the University of Chicago has driven new ways of thinking since our 1890 founding. Today, UChicago is an intellectual destination that draws inspired scholars to our Hyde Park and international campuses, keeping UChicago at the nexus of ideas that challenge and change the world.