Assistant Professor (tenure-track) - Indigenous Health and Wellness, Department of Community, Culture and Global Studies

Posting Expiry

 

The Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences (IKBSAS) at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, invites applications for a tenure-track appointment in Indigenous Studies at the rank of Assistant Professor. The position will be held in the Community, Culture and Global Studies Department, and is expected to start on July 1, 2018.

We are seeking a candidate with scholarly interest and expertise in the broad area of Indigenous Health and Wellness, with emphasis on Indigenous peoples' holistic well-being. The candidate must have a demonstrated record of scholarship, pedagogy, and community engagement practices that employ decolonizing theoretical and methodological frameworks. An interest in working in an interdisciplinary department consisting of Indigenous Studies, Gender & Women's Studies, Anthropology, and Human Geography is expected. Indigenous candidates are strongly preferred.

Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Indigenous Studies, Native Studies, First Nations Studies, Aboriginal Studies or a cognate field (with a focus on Indigenous Studies) by the start of the appointment. Candidates must have a demonstrated record of research productivity; proven ability to obtain external funding in support of a successful program of research; commitment to student mentoring and supervision; and excellence in graduate and/or undergraduate teaching and learning. Evidence of sustained engagement within and with Indigenous communities in Canada and/or in comparative contexts is required.

The successful candidate is expected to develop a robust, innovative, and internationally recognized research program that complements existing expertise in Indigenous philosophies, identities, and knowledges. There is also a strong desire for the appointee's scholarship to be integrated into, and to enhance, current research strengths in the Department, the Faculty, and other Faculties in the areas of health and wellness. The successful candidate will be expected to teach existing core courses in Indigenous Studies, including 'Introduction to Indigenous Studies' and 'Indigenous Perspectives on Health', and to develop new courses specific to own area of expertise. This colleague is also expected to provide service that is commensurate with rank, and contributes to the enhancement and strengthening of Indigenous Studies across campus.

The appointee will be joining an active and energetic community of scholars in Indigenous Studies whose work focuses on Indigenous epistemologies and is intercultural, interdisciplinary, hemispheric, and global in reach. Established in 2005, the program is housed in the IKBSAS and provides students with opportunities to locate their learning within the program's dual focus on decolonizing non-Indigenous notions of Indigeneity and strengthening contemporary revitalization of Indigenous knowledge and praxis. The program has unique strength in research that is focused on knowledges of the Syilx Okanagan, and integrates teaching and scholarship in Indigenous feminism, gender, land claims and governance, traditional knowledge, genocide, self-determination, borders, Indigenous legal studies, epistemology, language revitalization, and critical Indigenous theory and methods.

The IKBSAS offers both discipline-based and interdisciplinary programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The collegial learning environment focuses on effective teaching, critical and creative scholarship, and the integration of scholarship and teaching. We are committed to an ethos of local involvement, global engagement, and intercultural awareness, and we provide a positive, inclusive, and mutually supportive working and learning environment for all our students, faculty, and staff. To learn about the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Science, go to http://www.ubc.ca/okanagan/ikbarberschool/welcome.html.

UBC is one of the world's leading universities, and is consistently ranked in the top 40. The university has two distinct campuses, one in Vancouver and one in Kelowna. UBC's Okanagan campus, located in the city of Kelowna on unceded Syilx Okanagan territory, has strong undergraduate and graduate programs, with over 8,000 students in seven faculties. There are currently about 450 Aboriginal students on the campus, with nearly a tenth of them studying at the graduate level. Situated in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, one of the most scenic regions in Canada, it offers an intimate learning environment and excellent opportunities for regional, national, and international scholarly activities. For more information about UBC resources and opportunities, please visit http://www.hr.ubc.ca/faculty-staff-resources/. Information about the surrounding community can be found at: http://www.hr.ubc.ca/worklife-relocation/.

How to Apply:

Applicants are asked to submit in Microsoft Word or pdf format:

  1. a cover letter, addressed to Dr. Sue Frohlick (Head - Department of Community, Culture, and Global Studies), outlining qualification for the position and fit with the Indigenous Studies program and the IKBSAS;
  2. a curriculum vitae;
  3. a statement of research program;
  4. a statement on teaching philosophy and interests;
  5. evidence of teaching effectiveness (e.g., teaching/course evaluations);
  6. a writing sample; and,
  7. the names of three referees who may be asked to submit letters of reference, when requested.

Inquiries may be directed to Dr. Sue Frohlick at: susan.frohlick@ubc.ca. All correspondence must indicate the competition title (Assistant Professor: Indigenous Studies) in the subject line of the e-mail.

The deadline for applications is August 14, 2017. All appointments are subject to budgetary approval.

UBC hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We especially welcome applications from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.