Assistant Professor of Political Science (Comparative Politics and Post-Communist Studies)
College of Arts and Sciences
Position: Assistant Professor of Political Science (Comparative Politics and Post-Communist Studies)
Stetson University seeks an assistant professor of political science with a primary area of expertise in comparative politics and a focus on the post-communist world. The candidate should have a desire to teach and conduct research in a liberal arts setting. Besides teaching introductory and upper-level courses in comparative politics and offering innovative first-year and/or junior seminars, the candidate will develop courses to complement existing strengths in the Department of Political Science and contribute to Stetson’s Program in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, as well as the potential to offer courses in other related programs (e.g. International Studies, Gender Studies, and Global Development).
Qualifications:
A Ph.D. in Political Science is preferred, but applicants who are ABD will be considered if they are at the final stage of the dissertation process. Teaching experience beyond typical teaching assistant duties in graduate school is an advantage but not required. Candidates should have a strong commitment to innovative teaching, a creative approach to pedagogical design and implementation, and a strong commitment to all aspects of diversity in our learning-centered community.
Responsibilities:
The teacher-scholar model at Stetson requires that tenure-track faculty teach three courses each semester complemented with quality scholarship and service. Primary teaching responsibilities include our introductory and upper level courses in comparative politics and the post-communist world. Other courses will be based on the candidate's expertise and may include offerings for the University’s requirements in General Education, including First Year Seminars and Junior Seminars. The faculty member is also expected to mentor students academically and professionally.
Candidates should demonstrate a passion for quality teaching, combined with the ability to produce rigorous peer-reviewed academic scholarship. Scholarly activity leading to publication in peer-reviewed journals and service to the Department, the College of Arts and Sciences, the University, and the profession are required. For more information on our expectations in teaching and scholarship, our tenure policies, and our support for faculty professional development, please see the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs website: http://www.stetson.edu/administration/provost/index.php.
The Department:
The Department of Political Science (http://www.stetson.edu/artsci/political-science/) offers academically rigorous majors in both Political Science and Public Management. Departmental faculty contribute regularly to interdisciplinary programs such as International Studies, Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies, Latin American Studies, Africana Studies, the Honors Program, Environmental Science and Studies, and Public Health. We have had considerable success placing students in high-quality graduate programs in Political Science, International Affairs, and Public Administration and in prominent law schools. Faculty in the Department are committed to the teacher-scholar model, which involves teaching within a traditional liberal arts environment where the primary focus is extensive interaction with undergraduate students in a small class environment, while also maintaining an active research agenda.
The College of Arts and Sciences:
Stetson’s College of Arts and Sciences (http://www.stetson.edu/portal/artsci/) is the largest and most diverse of the University’s colleges and schools; it includes the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, education, and creative arts. With nineteen academic departments and eight interdisciplinary programs, the College is the liberal arts core of the University. A great strength of the College is its faculty of approximately 140 full-time teacher-scholars. The College offers 31 undergraduate majors and 34 undergraduate minors; six graduate degrees are offered in Education, Counselor Education, and Creative Writing. Every undergraduate major requires a senior research project, giving students the opportunity to design and carry out independent research under faculty mentorship. Our academic programs are shaped by the values of social justice and civic responsibility. All of our courses and programs of study promote engaged learning, whereby students create connections between the classroom or lab and the local, regional, and global community. The academic programs of the College of Arts and Sciences prepare students to live significant lives, to interact with and positively affect the world around them.
The University:
Founded in 1883, Stetson University (http://www.stetson.edu) is a private, selective university comprised of a rich array of liberal arts and professional academic programs. Collectively, Stetson’s faculty works with nearly 4000 students in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. The University’s historic main campus, located in DeLand, enrolls more than 2,800 students in undergraduate programs in the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Business Administration, and the School of Music. Stetson University College of Law, Florida’s first law school, moved from the main campus to Gulfport in 1954, and, with the addition of the Tampa Law Center, serves approximately 1,000 students working full-time or part-time toward J.D. or LL.M. degrees. Graduate programs offered at the main campus and at Stetson University Center in Celebration include Business, Accounting, Educational Leadership, Counseling, and Creative Writing. Florida’s oldest private institution of higher learning, Stetson has regularly been ranked among the best regional universities in the Southeast and was the first private college in Florida to be granted a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
Stetson University provides an inspiring education that engages students with rigorous academic and creative study grounded in liberal learning and promotes civic values of personal and social responsibility. Working closely with faculty and with one another, students cultivate abilities to explore issues deeply, think critically, reason empirically, speak persuasively, and connect ideas creatively. Firmly committed to inclusive excellence, our vibrant community of teacher-scholars nurtures the potential of individual students to lead lives of significance and prepares each to meet the challenges of shaping the future—locally, nationally, and globally.
The Community:
DeLand is a picturesque residential community of 32,000 located 20 miles west of Daytona Beach and 35 miles northeast of Orlando. The area offers extensive cultural as well as recreational activities.
Salary: Salary is competitive.
Starting Date: August 10, 2020
Application:
Applicants must send the following materials for consideration: 1) a cover letter summarizing the candidate’s interest in the position and qualifications, 2) a statement of the candidate's teaching philosophy, a representative sample of teaching evaluations, and other relevant teaching materials (e.g. syllabi, assignments, etc.), 3) a curriculum vitae, 4) copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts, 5) three letters of recommendation sent under separate cover by the recommenders via e-mail (at least one of which should include an evaluation of teaching ability), and 6) a statement of research interests and a description of how undergraduate students might participate in that research. Candidates are encouraged to highlight skills and experiences that demonstrate a commitment to social justice, diversity, and inclusion.
Departmental representatives will conduct interviews at the Career Fair of the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, August 29-September 1 in Washington, D.C. Participation in these interviews is not required and non-participation will not affect a candidate’s application in any way.
Review of applications will begin on October 1 and continue until the position is filled.
Please submit all application materials electronically to the search committee at polisearch@stetson.edu
Stetson University is an Equal Opportunity Employer that affirms cultural diversity and inclusion as a core value of academic excellence at Stetson University. We are committed to achieving equal access in education, employment, and participation through the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds, and to meaningful academic and intellectual transformation in curriculum, research and service. We are dedicated to actions and policies that foster a community in which individuals with various identities, cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints work together to create opportunities for engagement through rewarding and fulfilling careers and personal experiences in a culturally and racially diverse society and a globalized world. We strongly encourage members of historically under-represented and economically-disadvantaged groups and women to apply for employment. Stetson University is an EEO, ADA, ADEA, and GINA employer.