Assistant Professor – Black Feminist Anthropology
The Departments of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) and Anthropology , at The
University of Western Ontario, invite applications for a full-time probationary (tenure stream)
joint position at the rank of Assistant Professor with a specialization in any subdiscipline of
Anthropology in relation to Black Feminist Anthropology. The successful candidate will have a
joint appointment in the two Departments with Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies as the
home department. Start date will be July 2025 or as negotiated. Salary and rank will be
commensurate with qualifications and experience.
We seek an emerging Black scholar whose research and teaching will enhance and expand the
strengths of both GSWS and Anthropology and whose scholarship examines the diversity and
complexity of Black peoples, communities, and/or cultural practices. The successful candidate
will engage with Black peoples’ contemporary and/or historical struggles for social justice. The
successful candidate will participate in the building of interdisciplinary modules (extant Minor
and Major in planning) in Black Studies.
Applicants should have the Ph.D. in hand or be in the final stages of its completion, and must
demonstrate engagement with Black feminist intellectual practices, both methodologically and
conceptually, in teaching and research. Research and teaching foci may involve, but are not
limited to, Black cultures and responses to colonial legacies, Black creative practices and
cultural production as means of decolonization and resistance, embodiment and social
(in)justice, Black intersections with gender, sexuality, class, religion, ability, etc., and Black
decolonial activist practices. Applicants should demonstrate how their work engages
with important theoretical orientations in contemporary practice. These could include, among others,
decolonizing approaches, feminist theory, queer theory, critical race theory, Indigenous ways of
knowing, or Indigenous research methods. The ideal candidate will have a research program that can
contribute to both Departments’ strengths and that is aligned with the University’s new Strategic Plan.
They will show evidence of participation and leadership in collaborative research projects that
emphasize community engagement throughout the research process.
Applicants are expected to have demonstrated excellence conducting scholarly research in their
area(s) of expertise and a clearly articulated plan for future research. In recognition of
institutional barriers and diverse epistemologies, the candidate may have a significant record of
public interactions, advocacy, creative works, or other ways of demonstrating intellectual
engagement with topics and issues affecting a diverse range of Black communities.
We seek applicants who have experience in undergraduate teaching, as well as potential for
graduate teaching and supervision, and who will contribute to the cultures of both
departments. The review of applications will begin on October 20, 2024 and will continue
until the position is filled.
All applicants to this hiring opportunity must self-identify as Black within their cover letter.
Because this is a special opportunity restricted to self-identified Black candidates, applicantself-identification information will be used for the purposes of screening and consideration.
This particular search process follows the provisions for a special program as described in
Section 14 of the Ontario Human Rights Commission in order to address the
underrepresentation of academics from historically excluded groups among our faculty
complement. Pursuant to Section 14 of the Ontario Human Rights Code, the selection will be
limited to applicants who self-identify as Black.
The Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary unit located
in both the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Faculty of Social Science. We have a vibrant
undergraduate program with specializations in Gender and Women’s Studies, Sexuality Studies,
and Feminist, Queer, and Critical Race theory. Our graduate program offers a 1-year MA and 4-
year PhD and provides students with opportunities for professional development and access to
collaborative graduate specializations in Migration and Ethnic Relations and in Transitional
Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction. Our faculty have active research programs (including a
Strategic Focus Western Research Chair in Gender, Economics, and the Environment) and teach
in a wide range of disciplines, including history, literature, media studies, health studies,
French, cultural studies, international relations, sociology, and political science. Our faculty also
work within and at the intersections of feminist theory, queer and trans theory(s), and critical
race theory. With more than 60 affiliate faculty members working in disciplines across the
university, GSWS has been active in, and committed to, creating and promoting equity,
diversity, inclusion, and decolonization across the campus and to advancing social justice and
progressive change locally, nationally, and globally.
The Department of Anthropology at Western is a four-field department with strong collaborative
relations within the department, with other departments and programs on campus, and with the
Canadian and international communities where we carry out research. The successful candidate will be
able to benefit from, and further strengthen, existing collaborations with campus partners such as the
Indigenous Studies Program, the Department of Geography and Environment, and the Department of
Classical Studies, among others. At the graduate level, we have Ph.D. and M.A. programs that
consistently attract outstanding Canadian and international applicants. We also offer a wide range of
courses, including rich experiential learning opportunities, for undergraduate students in all subfields.
Western University ranks as one of Canada’s top research-intensive universities with annual research
funding exceeding $220 million and an international reputation for success. Our research excellence
expands knowledge and drives discovery with real-world application. Western also provides an
exceptional employment experience, offering competitive salaries, a wide range of employment
opportunities and one of Canada’s most beautiful campuses.
https://www.uwo.ca/gsws/FINAL%20AD_GSWS-Anthro%202024.pdf
Application must include the following:
• Application for Full-Time Faculty Position form, which can be found here
• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) statement that describes the applicant’s experiences with
EDI and how their EDI-related values inform their research, teaching, mentorship, and service
• 1 Page Research Statement
• 1 Page Teaching Statement
• Names, addresses, and email addresses for three referees (do not solicit letters at this stage).
Save all the components together, ordered as above, in a single PDF file named as follows:
YOURLASTNAME_UWO_GSWS-ANTHRO_JOB and email the file to:
Dr. WG Pearson, Chair
Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
Western University
London, Ontario, Canada N5A 2B8
Email: wpearson@uwo.ca
Positions are subject to budget approval. Applicants should have fluent written and oral communication
skills in English.
In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and
permanent residents.
Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment
process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact the
department’s Administrative and Graduate Coordinator, Junyu Ke, at jke9@uwo.ca.
