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Limited Term Appointment in First Peoples Studies at the School of Community and Public Affairs

Last updated: March 4, 2024, 4:23 p.m.

Job title: Limited-Term Appointment in First Peoples Studies at the School of Community and Public Affairs
Position codes: 24_LTA_SCPA_M
Date posted: March 4, 2024
Application deadline: March 30, 2024
Advertised until: Position is filled

Position description

This is a posting for a 12-month Limited Term appointment in First Peoples Studies, in the School of Community and Public Affairs. The position will entail teaching courses in land-based education, Indigenous politics, history, and cultures.

Limited-term Faculty members at Concordia are full-time faculty members whose primary duties include teaching and service, with no research obligations.

Qualifications and assets

Candidates should ideally have a PhD or equivalent in a field related to First Peoples Studies, as well as demonstrated teaching and research experience in their area of specialization. ABD candidates will be considered. Candidates should have academic or practical expertise in land-based education. Specific expertise in Haudenosaunee culture and history is an asset.

The successful candidate will have personal life experience with Indigenous communities in northern Turtle Island (Canada). This could include having been raised in an Indigenous community or living/working there for an extended period of time (e.g. over ten years). They will have nation-specific analysis. They will have demonstrated success in understandings and applications of an Indigenous worldview, pedagogies, working with creation stories and Indigenous cosmologies, values, and methodologies. They will be proficient in teaching approaches and pedagogies that center Indigenous students, Indigenous scholarship, and teaching processes.

They will have a profound awareness of the issues facing Indigenous peoples in Canada, approaches related to Indigenous sovereignty, government policies that limit Indigenous movement and participation in civil society (e.g. structural racism, colonial institutions), and an intersectional analysis of violence targeted at Indigenous people on the basis of “race”, gender, ability.

The successful candidate must hold an orientation that focuses on equity, human dignity and dignity of all beings and has experience working to create culturally safe and respectful environments, including working with LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit students.

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 Dr. Anna Sheftel, Principal, School of Community and Public Affairs, at anna.sheftel@concordia.ca, by March 30, 2024. Applications must include a cover letter clearly identifying the title and position code (24_LTA_SCPA_M), a detailed curriculum vitae, a teaching statement related to teaching in an Indigenous-centered context, evidence of teaching effectiveness (including course syllabi and evaluations), and the names and contact information of three referees, including one from an Indigenous community member or leader. 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.

Possible examples to demonstrate a diverse experience might 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

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.

The School of Community and Public Affairs is a small, bilingual, interdisciplinary unit which works at the intersection of policy and community, theory and practice, with the goal of working towards a more just world. We value community engagement alongside academic excellence, and balance classroom and experiential learning. SCPA is home to five programs: a BA in Community, Public Affairs and Policy Studies; a Minor/Certificate in Immigration Studies; a Major/Minor in First Peoples Studies; a microprogram in Indigenous Land-Based Education, and a Graduate Diploma in Community Economic Development. The FPST program is home to an all-Indigenous team of full-time faculty and welcomes a significant proportion of Indigenous students.

The Faculty of Arts and Science is the largest faculty at Concordia. Through our 27 departmental units and our several research centers, we foster an inclusive and supportive environment, where knowledge generation and innovation thrive in the Humanities, the Social and the Natural Sciences. We have a strong tradition of connection with communities. Our research and creative activities are both disciplinarily grounded as well as resolutely interdisciplinary and interconnected. Our scholars tackle the complex issues facing our world globally and locally. Our teachers activate students to make an impact. Our students challenge conventional ways of thinking and doing.

 Our research activity is funded by Tri-Council agencies (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC), from the FRQ (FRSQ, FQRNT, and FQRSC), as well as national and international funding bodies, both public and private. Our academic communities develop and utilize cutting-edge pedagogical tools and strategies with an emphasis on experiential learning to teach within and across boundaries.

 For more about the Faculty of Arts and Science, please visit: www.concordia.ca/artsci.

Concordia University is located on unceded Indigenous lands. Tiohtià:ke/Montreal, on the traditional lands and waters of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation, is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations. Today it is home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. We respect the continued connections with the past, present and future in our ongoing relationships with Indigenous and other peoples within the Montreal community.

 Building on the skills of our faculty and the strengths of Indigenous, local, and global partnerships, we set our sights further and more broadly than others and align the quality of learning opportunities to larger trends and substantial challenges facing society.

 “Concordia is a young, forward-looking university. It’s a unique place where experimentation, innovation and creativity are truly valued. Our community of students, faculty, staff and alumni all contribute to our momentum as Canada’s next-gen university.” — Concordia President Graham Carr.

Profoundly global, Concordia is North America’s top university under the age of 50 and is recognized for attracting some of the most talented faculty and students from around the world. Driven by ambition, innovation and a commitment to reconciliation, research and community engagement, Concordia is celebrated for advancing transformative learning, convergent thinking and public impact.

Tiohtià:ke/Montreal, is exceptional; safe, vibrant and diverse, with new things to discover around every corner. The Kanien’kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of the lands and waters on which we gather and conduct our activities. With a population of 1.7 million, Tiohtià:ke/Montreal is home to four major universities and several clinical research centres and has been named the best student city in the world. It offers the most affordable tuition in Canada.

The city enjoys a thriving multicultural scene. Bilingualism is a part of Montreal’s tradition and adds to its inspiring atmosphere. While supporting a significant anglophone population, it is the one of the largest French-speaking cities in the world.

Montreal is famed for its innovative culinary scene and festivals. It was also the first metropolis to be designated a UNESCO City of Design by the Global Alliance for Cultural Diversity.

The city is recognized globally as an important centre for commerce, aerospace, transport, finance, pharmaceuticals, technology, design, gaming and film.

Territorial Acknowledgement

Concordia University is located on unceded Indigenous lands. The Kanien’kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of the lands and waters on which we gather today. Tiohtià:ke/Montreal is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations. Today, it is home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. We respect the continued connections with the past, present and future in our ongoing relationships with Indigenous and other peoples within the Montreal community.

Employment Equity

Concordia University is strongly committed to employment equity within its community, and to recruiting a diverse faculty and staff. The University encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including women, members of visible minorities, Indigenous persons, members of sexual minorities, persons with disabilities, and others who may contribute to diversification; candidates are invited to self-identify in their applications.

Immigration Status

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian 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 applications 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.

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