“Religion and Its Publics”: Postdoctoral Position

The Virginia Center for the Study of Religion at the University of Virginia invites applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Fellowship for the academic year of 2017-18. The Fellow will work in the Project on “Religion and Its Publics,” funded by the Henry Luce Foundation and overseen by Project co-directors Dr. Paul Dafydd Jones and Dr. Charles Mathewes.

In support of the Project’s mission to relate the non-confessional academic study of religion and scholarly projects in public theology, we welcome applications from scholars who work on “Public Theologies” or “Theories of Religion.” We anticipate hiring one Fellow in one of the areas in 2017-18, and a second Fellow in the other area in 2018-19. In this first search, we invite applicants who fit either position.

A “Theories of Religion” Fellow will engage scholarly attempts to understand religious texts, actions, institutions, and phenomena, where such attempts are couched in a fundamentally (though not exclusively) descriptive approach; furthermore, the Fellow will have explicit and substantial interest in theoretical questions concerning the viability and presuppositions of such approaches to religion.

A “Public Theologies” Fellow will have research interests in public theology, broadly understood as disciplined reflection on idioms of inquiry specific to a religious community (or communities) that connects with normative (social, cultural, economic, and/or political) concerns; furthermore, the Fellow will have interests in the ways in which various “publics”—religious and nonreligious—relate and overlap.

The successful candidate’s duties will include, but not be limited to: supporting the Project’s work and participating in its events; pursuing an intensive research agenda, with the goal of submitting a book manuscript for peer review by summer 2018; hosting a workshop on their manuscript; teaching a small seminar through the Department of Religious Studies on a mutually determined topic; and some administrative responsibilities.

Applicants must anticipate receiving a PhD in a relevant field by May/June 2017 and must hold a PhD at the time of appointment.

This is a one-year appointment starting in Fall 2017, with an anticipated start date of July 25, 2017. Compensation will be an academic year salary of $50,000 with full-time benefits. The appointment includes a $5,000 research fund.

Review of applications will begin on January 3, 2017. The application deadline is midnight (EST) on January 6, 2017.

To apply, candidates must submit a Candidate Profile through Jobs@UVa (https://jobs.virginia.edu). Search on posting number 0620030 and electronically attach the following: a cover letter of interest describing research agenda and teaching experience, a curriculum vitae, a sample article or chapter-length scholarly work (Attach to Writing Sample 1), and contact information for three references.

Questions regarding the application process in Jobs@UVa should be directed to Julie Garmel, jg4e@virginia.edu.

Questions about the position should be directed to Mae Speight, Project Coordinator: relpublics@virginia.edu. Further information about the Virginia Center for the Study of Religion can be found at http://vcsr.virginia.edu. Further information about the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia can be found at http://religiousstudies.virginia.edu.

The University will perform background checks on all new faculty hires prior to making a final offer of employment.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.