Tenure Track Position in Indigenous Studies

Toronto Metropolitan University

Tenure Track Position in Indigenous Studies
Arts, Sociology
Posted: November 9, 2023
Deadline to Apply: Saturday, December 9, 2023

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada and on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples, the Department of Sociology in the Faculty of Arts at Toronto Metropolitan University invites applications for a tenure track position at the rank of Assistant Professor effective July 1, 2024 subject to final budgetary approval. The successful candidate will be able to apply Indigenous perspectives and/or approaches to teaching Indigenous-focused courses and Sociology courses in at least one of the following areas: Indigenous society, research methods, social theory, or introduction to sociology.

This position is restricted to candidates who self-identify as First Nations, Métis, Inuit peoples, or Indigenous peoples of North America and who, subsequent to a review by the University’s Indigenous Faculty Committee and the Indigenous Human Resources Lead, are verified to hold lineage and/or acceptance by an Indigenous community based on pre-established criteria.

The successful candidate will engage in a combination of teaching, scholarly research or creative activity and service duties while maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and collegial work environment across all activities. Teaching duties will entail teaching at undergraduate and graduate level, supervision of students and/or curriculum development. The successful candidate will further pursue a strong, innovative research program or creative activity that may in part be demonstrated through Indigenous community-based/community-engaged SRC, Indigenous-specific creative projects, and the dissemination of SRC through mechanisms that include writing for Indigenous audiences, Indigenous peer review processes and recognition of Indigenous protocols when presenting research findings (Indigenous feasts, newsletters, oral presentations, and reports to the Indigenous community) that recognize the ethics of and responsibilities to collaborate with Indigenous communities. Service to external bodies may also include participation in or service to Indigenous organizations that might not be considered learned societies and/or professional associations.

Candidates must hold a PhD in Sociology, Indigenous Studies, Education, or related fields by the appointment date, or be all-but-dissertation (ABD) and demonstrate active enrollment in the relevant academic program. [Note: the successful candidate may be eligible for a tuition reimbursement towards the terminal degree, subject to the University’s policies and Collective Agreement.]

In addition, the successful candidate must present evidence of:

a strong emerging scholarly, research and creative activity in the field of Sociology, Indigenous Studies, Education, or related fields, that is conducted by, grounded in or engaged with First Nations, Inuit, Métis or other Indigenous nations, communities, societies or individuals, and their wisdom, cultures, experiences or knowledge systems, as expressed in their dynamic forms, past and present. Indigenous research can embrace the intellectual, physical, emotional and/or spiritual dimensions of knowledge in creative and interconnected relationships with people, places and the natural environment.
Demonstrated potential for teaching excellence at all levels of the undergraduate and graduate curriculum as evidenced by a teaching dossier that includes a teaching philosophy statement, experience with course and curriculum review and/or development, examples of best practices in pedagogy, including effective use of classroom technology and any experience with experiential learning, sample syllabi, strong teaching evaluations, teaching awards, and other relevant achievements in teaching;
Commitment to our values of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as it pertains to service, teaching, and scholarly research or creative activities, including a demonstrated ability to make learning accessible and inclusive for a diverse student population; and
An ability and willingness to contribute to the life of the Sociology Department, Faculty of Arts, Indigenous community on campus, and the University through collegial service.

Our committee recognizes that scholars have varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an excellent academic record. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions.

We welcome applications from individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us in expanding our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. We believe that diversity of knowledge, worldviews and experiences that come from membership in different groups is fundamental to innovation, teaching and scholarship and that our students are best served by faculty who reflect their diversity. We therefore strongly encourage applications from individuals who, in addition to identifying as First Nations, Métis or Inuit peoples, or Indigenous peoples of North America, may also identify as Black or other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women, and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association (TFA) [www.rfanet.ca]. Visit us at www.torontomu.ca/faculty-affairs to view the TFA collective agreement and a summary of TFA benefits [https://www.torontomu.ca/human-resources/tfa-full-time-ltf/].

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)
Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, with 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning and distinguished by a professionally focussed curriculum with a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city-building through its award-winning architecture.

Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts
The Department of Sociology in the Faculty of Arts consists of 26 full-time faculty members- four of whom identify as Indigenous. We have a solid and growing reputation for high-quality teaching and excellent, innovative, and socially-relevant research. The Department is strongly committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, social activism, and community-engaged teaching, learning, and research. Our undergraduate degree program offers a curriculum that highlights the study and practical application of research methods, classical and contemporary social theory, and themes of diversity, inequality and social justice, popular culture, media, and contemporary urban experience.

The Department offers an undergraduate program to approximately 400 students of diverse backgrounds. The Faculty prides itself on the excellence of its scholarly, research, and creative (SRC) activities, as well as, the quality of its teaching and community engagement. The Department is interested in candidates who will contribute to existing strengths in SRC activity and teaching through academic, professional and diverse lived experiences and perspectives. Although the Department does not currently have its own graduate program, faculty members serve as graduate supervisors in the following interdisciplinary graduate programs: Communication and Culture, Immigration and Settlement Studies, Policy Studies, Public Policy and Administration, and others.

The Faculty of Arts is also home to a growing Indigenous community of faculty, students and staff who contribute to the Yellowhead Institute, an internationally recognized research and education center, the decades-long partnership with the First Nations Technical Institute, a Chair in Indigenous Governance, and Canada Research Chairs in Digital Wahkohtowin & Cultural Governance and in Biskaabiiyang and Indigenous Political Resurgence.

Working at TMU
At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. At TMU, we firmly believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to this path; our current Academic Plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.

Dedicated to a people first culture, TMU is proud to rank number one on the Forbes list of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity.

We invite you to explore the range of benefits and supports available to faculty, including access to our diverse faculty and staff networks.

Indigenous faculty who are in pursuit of their terminal degree and are hired as Acting Assistant Professors will have access to tuition reimbursement for the duration of their appointment as Acting Assistant Professors, subject to the applicable Collective Agreement provisions, policies and procedures.

Visit us on Twitter: @torontomet, @VPFAtorontomet and @TorontoMetHR, and our LinkedIn page.

Toronto Metropolitan University is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the Accessibility and Human Rights websites.

How to Apply
Applicants must submit their application online via the Faculty Recruitment Portal [https://hr.cf.ryerson.ca/ams/faculty/] by clicking on “Start Application Process” to begin. For guaranteed consideration, applications, consisting of the following, must be received by December 9, 2023. The Committee will continue to receive applications until the position is filled.

a letter of application;
a curriculum vitae;
a statement of research interests;
a teaching dossier and results of teaching evaluations; and
names of three individuals who may be contacted for references. One of these references should come from a member of the Indigenous community (reserve, urban, an organization, etc.) that the applicant identifies with.

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations.

Contacts
Any confidential inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to the DHC Chair Dr. Cheryl Teelucksingh at teeluck@torontomu.ca.

Candidates who belong to one or more of the equity-deserving groups recognized at TMU are welcome to connect with Ahmed Ahmed [a.ahmed@torontomu.ca], Interim Executive Director, Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion [www.torontomu.ca/equity].
For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the Faculty Recruitment Portal, please contact vpfa@torontomu.ca.