Extended term appointment in Black Media and Cultural Studies in Canada in the Department of Communication Studies

Job title: Extended term appointment in Black Media and Cultural Studies in Canada in the Department of Communication Studies
Position code: 24_ETA_COMS_M
Date posted: March 7, 2024
Application deadline: March 30, 2024
Advertised until: Position is filled

Position description

The Department of Communication Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Science at Concordia University invites applications for a three-year Extended term appointment (ETA) in Black Media and Cultural Studies in Canada. As a humanities-oriented department, this position emphasizes the role that media representations, networks, and institutions play in both perpetuating racial bias and exclusion, and channeling social justice movements and new modes of self-expression. 

Faculty members holding ETA positions at Concordia are full-time faculty members whose primary duties include teaching and service, with no research obligations. The appointment affords the possibility of promotion and permanent status. 

Qualifications and assets

Candidates must have completed a PhD in Communication Studies or a related field by the start date of the appointment. The main criteria for selection is teaching excellence. 

The successful candidate will have teaching expertise in one or more of the following areas: Black media studies in Canada, critical race and intersectional approaches, media and cultural studies, alternative and community media. Additional areas of teaching and expertise might include propaganda, curatorial studies, colonialism, and decolonization, as well as online teaching expertise. The successful candidate will be expected to teach courses, assist in program development, and perform administrative duties. Over time, the selected candidate will engage in committee work at the Department, Faculty and University levels. 

Candidates must provide evidence of extensive teaching experience related to the areas of critical race, media, and cultural studies. Other required qualifications include demonstrated evidence of, or potential for, outstanding contributions to: 

• Curriculum development in the areas of black media and critical race;

• Contributions to community and university service activities; and

• The integration of social justice principles, such as Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in teaching and supervision.

Candidates are encouraged to share any career interruptions or personal circumstances that may have had an impact on their career goals in their letter of application. These will be carefully considered in the assessment process. The Department values diversity among its faculty and strongly encourages applications from those who will contribute to that profile. Concordia University is an English-language institution of higher learning at which the primary language of instruction and research is English. Since this position supports academic functions of the university, proficiency in English is required. Working knowledge of French, including reading and grading student work in French, is an asset.     

How to apply

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; Canadians and Permanent Residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University is obliged to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. While applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenship, all applicants must include one of the following statements: 

Yes, I am a citizen or permanent resident of Canada 

or 

No, I am not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Applications should be submitted by email to mircea.mandache@concordia.ca, addressed to: Elizabeth Miller, Chair of the Department of Communication Studies. The application must include a cover letter clearly identifying the title and position code (24_ETA_COMS_M), a detailed curriculum vitae, a teaching statement, evidence of teaching effectiveness (including course syllabi and evaluations), and the names and contact information of three referees.  Electronic applications should be submitted by March 30, 2024, but will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The appointment is expected to commence on July 1, 2024.

Concordia University is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community, and recognizes the importance of inclusion in achieving excellence in teaching and research. As part of this commitment to providing our students with the dynamic, innovative, and inclusive educational environment of a Next‐Generation University, we require all applicants to articulate in their cover letter how their background, as well as lived and professional experiences and expertise have prepared them to teach in ways that are relevant for a diverse, multicultural contemporary Canadian society. 

These ongoing or anticipated examples can include but are not limited to: 

• teaching about underrepresented populations 
• mentoring students from underrepresented backgrounds 
• work with diverse communities
• offering or organizing educational programming 
• participation in training and workshops 

Concordia University recognizes the potential impact that career interruptions can have on a candidate’s record and will take them into careful consideration in assessing applications and throughout the selection process. 

All applicants will receive an email invitation to complete a short equity survey. Participation in the survey is voluntary and no identifying information about candidates will be shared with hiring committees. Candidates who wish to self-identify as a member of an underrepresented group to the hiring committee may do so in their cover letter or by writing directly to the contact person indicated in this posting.

Adaptive Measures

Applicants who anticipate requiring adaptive measures throughout any stage of the recruitment process may contact, in confidence, Anna Barrafato, Accessibility Change Lead: anna.barrafato@concordia.ca or by phone at 514-848-2424 extension 3511.