Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada and on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples, the Department of Politics and Public Administration in the Faculty of Arts at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) invites applications for a tenure track position at the rank of Assistant Professor effective July 01, 2024 subject to final budgetary approval.

This position is restricted to recognized First Nations, Métis, Inuit candidates, or Indigenous peoples of Canada subject to a verification process by the University.

The successful candidate will engage in a combination of teaching, scholarly research or creative activity and service duties while maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and collegial work environment across all activities. Teaching duties will entail teaching at undergraduate and graduate level[s], supervision of students and/or curriculum development. The successful candidate will further pursue a strong, innovative research program or creative activity that may in part be demonstrated through Indigenous community-based/community-engaged SRC, Indigenous-specific creative projects, and the dissemination of SRC through mechanisms that include writing for Indigenous audiences, Indigenous peer review processes and recognition of Indigenous protocols when presenting research findings (Indigenous feasts, newsletters, oral presentations, and reports to the Indigenous community) that recognize the ethics of and responsibilities to collaborate with Indigenous communities. Service to external bodies may also include participation in or service to Indigenous organizations that might not be considered professional associations.

Candidates should hold a PhD in Political Science, Indigenous Studies, Philosophy, Sociology, Law, Business, or a closely related field. Indigenous candidates who have completed all-but-dissertation [ABD], and are able to demonstrate active enrolment in their PhD program, will be considered. The committee will also consider candidates whose terminal degree is a Master’s of Arts in the fields noted above, i.e., “Political Science, Indigenous Studies, Philosophy, Sociology, Law, Business, or a closely related field., an LLB or an LLM or equivalent, and who can demonstrate holding traditional Indigenous knowledge from a First Nation, Inuit or Métis community in Canada, leadership or engagement with administration, governance, law or politics in Indigenous Communities. 

In addition, the successful candidate must present evidence of one or more among the following:

• A strong, emerging scholarly, research and creative activity in the field of Indigenous Politics and Governance, that is conducted by, grounded in or engaged with First Nations, Inuit, or Métis communities, societies or individuals, and their wisdom, cultures, experiences or knowledge systems, as expressed in their dynamic forms, past and present, and evidence of collaboration with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation communities and/or their affiliated political, advocacy and support organizations. Indigenous research can embrace the intellectual, physical, emotional and/or spiritual dimensions of knowledge in creative and interconnected relationships with people, places and the natural environment.
• The field of specialization of the candidates may include a broad range of perspectives, including: Indigenous leadership, Indigenous epistemologies and decolonial philosophies, social movements, resurgence, cultures, and governance. The Department is looking for a focus on Canada or on Canada in comparative perspective. For example, the successful candidate’s areas of expertise may therefore include but need not be limited to: Indigenous political and traditional leadership, Indigenous-settler relations; truth and reconciliation; decolonization; Indigenous policies and their legacies; Indigenous representation in and engagement with Canadian political institutions; and Indigenous social movements.
• Demonstrated potential for teaching excellence at all levels of the undergraduate curriculum and suitability for teaching in the graduate program;
• Commitment to our values of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as it pertains to service, teaching, and scholarly research or creative activities, including a demonstrated ability to make learning accessible and inclusive for a diverse student population; and
• An ability and willingness to contribute to the life of the Department of Politics and Public Administration and the University through collegial service.

Our committee recognizes that scholars have varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an excellent academic record. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions.

We welcome applications from individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. We believe that diversity of knowledge, worldviews and experiences that come from membership in different groups, is fundamental to teaching and scholarship and that our students are best served by faculty who reflect their diversity. We therefore, strongly encourage applications from individuals who, in addition to identifying as First Nations, Métis or Inuit peoples, or Indigenous peoples of North America, are persons with disabilities, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association (TFA) (www.rfanet.ca). Visit us at www.torontomu.ca/faculty-affairs to view the TFA collective agreement and a  summary of TFA benefits [https://www.torontomu.ca/human-resources/tfa-full-time-ltf/].

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)

Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, with 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning and distinguished by a professionally focused curriculum with a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city-building through its award-winning architecture.

Department of Politics and Public Administration (Faculty of Arts)

Our Department offers undergraduate and graduate programs to over 700 undergraduate and 40 graduate students of diverse backgrounds, including a BA in Politics and Governance, a BA in Public Administration and Governance and an MA in Public Policy and Administration, for which a Truth and Reconciliation review was completed in 2020. The Department and its faculty are involved in many interdisciplinary graduate programs in Arts and the university. The Department and Faculty of Arts have also worked in partnership with the First Nations Technical Institute to deliver undergraduate curriculum to Indigenous students for more than twenty years. The Department is also home to the Chair in Indigenous Governance.  The Faculty of Arts is also home to a growing Indigenous community of faculty, students and staff who contribute to the Yellowhead Institute, an internationally recognized research and education center as well as a Canada Research Chair in  Biskaabiiyang and Indigenous Political Resurgence.

Our faculty prides itself on the excellence of its research, the quality of its teaching and community engagement. We are interested in candidates who will contribute to our existing strengths in research/creativity activity and teaching through academic, professional and diverse lived experiences and perspectives.

Working at TMU

At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. At TMU, we firmly believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to this path; our current academic plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.

Dedicated to a people first culture, TMU is proud to have been selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and Greater Toronto’s Top Employer. We invite you to explore the range of benefits and supports available to faculty and their families, including access to our diverse faculty and staff networks. In addition, Indigenous faculty who are in pursuit of their terminal degree and are hired as Acting Assistant Professors will have access to tuition reimbursement for the duration of their appointment as Acting Assistant Professors, subject to the applicable Collective Agreement provisions, policies and procedures.

Visit us on Twitter: @torontomet, @VPFAtorontomet and @TorontoMetHR, and our LinkedIn page.

Toronto Metropolitan University is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the Accessibility and Human Rights websites.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit their application online via the Faculty Recruitment Portal [https://hr.cf.ryerson.ca/ams/faculty/] by clicking on “Start Application Process” to begin. Applications, consisting of the following, must be received by November 17, 2023:

• a letter of application;
• a curriculum vitae;
• a statement of research interests and future research trajectory;
• a copy of two written outputs representative of the candidates’ research or work;
• a teaching dossier which should include: a teaching philosophy statement, experience with land-based learning or other Indigenous pedagogical practices, course and curriculum review and/or development, examples of best practices in Indigenous pedagogy, including effective use of classroom technology (if applicable) and any experience with experiential learning, sample syllabi, strong teaching evaluations, teaching and/or leadership awards, and other relevant achievements in teaching, including accomplishments with respect to traditional knowledge keeper teachings;
• names of three individuals who may be contacted for references.

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations.

Contacts

Any confidential inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to the Department Hiring Committee Chair, Professor Mitu Sengupta at sengupta@torontomu.ca.

Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact Hayden King, Advisor to the Dean of Arts, Indigenous Education at hayden.king@torontomu.ca, and Pamela Palmater, Professor and Chair in Indigenous Governance, Department of Politics and Public Administration at ppalmater@torontomu.ca.

Black identified candidates who wish to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact Dr. Mélanie Knight, Advisor to the Dean of Arts, Blackness and Black Diasporic Education at melanie.knight@torontomu.ca. They may also contact Shurla Charles-Forbes, Black Faculty & Staff Community Network at  shurla.charlesforbes@torontomu.ca.

For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the Faculty Recruitment Portal, please contact vpfa@torontomu.ca.