Postdoctoral Fellow-to-Assistant Professor Faculty Position in Global Black Studies
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
Department:
Arts and Sciences | African American and African Studies
Position Overview
The Department of African American and African Studies (AAAS) at The Ohio State University (Ohio State) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar to Tenure-Track Assistant Professor position in Global Black Studies beginning August 15, 2025. We seek an emerging Black Studies and/or African Studies scholar from any discipline whose research and teaching interests address, in humanities’ perspective, the intersection of blackness/nativeness, inequality, distributive (in)justice, and colonial/postcolonial histories. We are particularly interested in candidates who focus on Black nation(s), diaspora(s), and/or migrant space(s) outside of the United States. While open to all areas of specialization, applicants should demonstrate their commitment to Global Black Studies, broadly defined, and work within one or multiple fields of humanistic study.
Performance Objectives
Following a two-year Postdoctoral Scholar appointment, the Postdoctoral Scholar will then transfer to a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of assistant professor within the Department of African-American and African Studies and the tenure clock will begin. The Postdoctoral Scholar position is funded by the Mellon Foundation grant “Rebuilding Black Studies: The Department of African American and African Studies at Fifty” and with support from the Provost’s Tenure-Track Fellow to Faculty hiring initiative. The Provost’s Tenure-Track Fellow to Faculty Program is a two-year program that assists early career scholars as they transition to the tenure track.
The successful candidate will:
• Focus time on research for the first two years of the appointment (during the postdoctoral phase) allowing for an in-depth start on scholarship.
• Teach one course per academic year during the Postdoctoral Scholar period.
• Contribute service to the Department of African American and African Studies.
• Transfer to the rank of assistant professor within the Department of African American and African Studies following the two-year Postdoctoral Scholar appointment.
Our department greatly values innovation, excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion. The successful applicant will demonstrate their commitment to Ohio State’s Shared Values through their research, pedagogy, and/or forms of community engagement.
Education and Experience Requirements
Required: PhD in any relevant field of study by August 15, 2025. ABDs welcome to apply.
Desired: Candidates should demonstrate a commitment to building a diverse intellectual community, in line with OSU’s Shared Values (see below).
How to Apply
A competitive application consists of the following required elements: a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a research statement, and a teaching statement. Review of applications will begin on March 10, 2025. Inquiries should be made to Kwaku Larbi Korang, search committee chair, at korang.1@osu.edu.
You will be presented with the opportunity to attach up to FOUR documents in the Application Documents section. For a complete application for initial consideration, please visit https://osujoblinks.com/4maa
Include the following:
• Attachment 1: Cover Letter: 1-2 page letter which should include a brief summary of your academic background and should address your experience in research, teaching, and potential for service and community engagement.
• Attachment 2: CV (Curriculum Vitae): Detailed overview of your scholarly experience, including your research experience, teaching and mentoring experience, service, funding, and publications.
• Attachment 3: Research Statement: The research statement should be a summary of your past research accomplishments, current work/research, and proposal for your future research plan as a faculty member.
• Attachment 4: Teaching Statement: A statement of your approaches, experience and philosophy regarding your teaching, learning, and mentoring.
You may be asked to provide the names and contact information for three references and a writing sample if you advance to the zoom interview stage.
The College
With more than 80 majors and 100 minors, the College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of the university. The Arts and Sciences provides extraordinary opportunities to collaborate across disciplines, blending creativity and analysis to truly be at the forefront of thought. The breadth and depth of knowledge in the college gives students and researchers the critical thinking and adaptability essential for a lifetime of success.
Department Information
The Department of African American and African Studies has a comprehensive multidisciplinary curriculum and famuly members conduct scholarship and courses in literature, music, history, art history, theory, political science, and community engagement. AAAS is proud of our Community Extension Center (CEC), which centers community-engaged research, teaching, and learning on and off campus. The CEC is recently renovated, with state-of-the-art meeting and event spaces located in the historic and thriving Bronzeville neighborhood. The CEC serves local residents, OSU, and immigrant, Black, and African communities throughout the city, region, and state. AAAS is also partnered with the Ohio Prison Education Exchange Program (OPEEP), a first-of-its-kind award-winning program centered in Black feminist pedagogies which allows faculty to teach incarcerated and Columbus-campus undergraduates inside Ohio’s regional prisons. AAAS offers a Black Studies online certificate and the department will also host a Summer Graduate Student Summer Residency in 2025.
The University
Ohio State is a top-20 public university, and its Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is one of America’s leading academic health centers and recently ranked No. 4 on Forbes’ list of best U.S. employers for diversity. Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.
The Ohio State University’s Shared Values include Excellence and Impact, Diversity and Innovation, Inclusion and Equity, Care and Compassion, and Integrity and Respect. Our university community welcomes differences, encourages open-minded exploration and courageous thinking, and upholds freedom of expression.
Ohio State is a dynamic community where opportunity thrives, and individuals transform themselves and their world. Positions are available in countless fields and specialties.
The Ohio State University is committed to enhancing academic excellence. Recruiting, supporting, and retaining faculty of the highest caliber is a core component of this commitment. The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) has established Dual Careers and Faculty Relocation (DCFR) to focus on supporting new and prospective faculty and their loved ones. Service offerings include dual careers partner consultations, identifying potential employers and/or employment opportunities, consultation and resources related to relocation, as well as identifying opportunities to engage on campus and in the surrounding community. While employment opportunities are not guaranteed, resources and consultation are provided to support the partners of new and prospective faculty as they are considering or transitioning to The Ohio State University.
In addition to being responsive to dual-career opportunities, we strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies. Ohio State is an NSF ADVANCE institution and a member of the Ohio/Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC).
Located in Ohio’s capital city, Ohio State’s Columbus campus is near the center of a rapidly growing and diverse metropolitan area with a population of over 1.5 million. The area offers a wide range of affordable housing, many cultural and recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a strong economy based on government as well as service, transportation, and technology industries. Additional information about the Columbus area is available here. Beyond its Columbus campus, Ohio State has four regional campuses including Ohio State Lima, Ohio State Mansfield, Ohio State Marion, and Ohio State Newark, in addition to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Wooster Campus, which houses Ohio State ATI.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disability
Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check.
