PTCD Position Description

MSU ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

James Madison College at Michigan State University invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy (PTCD). James Madison College engages undergraduates in a liberal arts education in public affairs in a residential college setting within a broader research-intensive university. The Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy major is an interdisciplinary field of public affairs. It focuses on liberal constitutional democracy (its origins, practice, critics, and defenders) from the perspective of political philosophy.

We seek a teacher-scholar broadly trained in the history of political theory that supports curriculum in Black political thought (American and comparative), as well as radical perspectives on modern constitutional democracy. Areas of research and teaching focus include African-American politics, comparative Black political thought, and radical political theory. In addition to these requirements, preferred areas of interest include: colonialism studies, Native-American studies, Indigenous studies, American constitutional politics, or modern political theory. Preference will be given to candidates who can teach elective courses cross-listed between PTCD and Social Relations and Policy majors.

Successful candidates will have demonstrated ability to teach core courses in the history of political thought combining serious study of canonical texts as well as authors/voices from outside the canon, with a view to the present and future of constitutional democracy. Applicants should also be able to contribute to the broader interdisciplinary curriculum of the major and the college, including the first-year sequence. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an active scholarly agenda in their respective field(s). The College is especially interested in candidates who can contribute, through their teaching, research and/or service, to the diversity and excellence of the academic community.

For more information, please see the college website: https://jmc.msu.edu and the full position description at https://careers.msu.edu.

Ph.D. in a related field is required by August 16th, 2025.

Applications must be submitted electronically to the Michigan State University Human Resources web site: https://careers.msu.edu. Please see posting number 955409 for complete instructions on how to apply. Review of applications will begin on September 20th, 2024, and will continue until the position is filled. Please contact Katie Dyjach (dyjachk@msu.edu) with any questions.

MSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal opportunity employer. MSU is committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The university actively encourages applications and/or nominations of women, persons of color, veterans, and persons with disabilities.

Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg-Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.