Political theory and public law job market: 2009-10 Junior Political Theory Jobs Post #5

4/26/2010

2009-10 Junior Political Theory Jobs Post #5

For: Discussion of all junior political theory jobs advertised in 2009-10.

Restrictions: Per house rules, please do not mention names in junior searches until an offer is made.

Want to confirm or correct something you see here? Want me to post a job ad to the thread? Email me at poltheorist@gmail.com. Your anonymity is assured.

'09-'10 Junior Theory Jobs #1
'09-'10 Junior Theory Jobs #2
'09-'10 Junior Theory Jobs #3
'09-'10 Junior Theory Jobs #4

286 Comments:

administrator said...: This was posted at the end of the last thread:

Saint Louis University, a Catholic, Jesuit institution, dedicated to education, research and healthcare, is seeking applicants for a full-time position in the department of Political Science at the Madrid campus to begin August 2010. Ph.D. is expected at the time of appointment. The successful candidate will hold a Ph.D. in Political Science, along with evidence of research and teaching excellence. Desired areas of specialization include Political Theory (preferably with concentration in International Relations) and Research Methods. The new faculty member will teach required undergraduate courses in Political Science, as well as courses in his or her area of specialization. The program offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations, as well as a minor. Saint Louis University is an American, Jesuit university ranked among the top 100 research and teaching institutions in the United States. Distributed over two campuses: St. Louis Campus in the United States and Madrid Campus in Spain, the University enrolls more than 11,000 students, over 650 of whom pursue their studies in Madrid. The Madrid Campus is a free-standing campus of Saint Louis University where students from more than 65 countries study undergraduate and graduate courses to obtain either US 4-year undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees or, in the case of study abroad students, credits towards their degrees on their home campuses. The language of instruction at Saint Louis University Madrid is English, thus, excellent verbal and written English-language skills are also required. To apply: Interested applicants should send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and sample syllabus of a Political Science course you have taught or would like to teach, directly to: Laurie Mazzuca, Ph.D. Chair of Business and Social Sciences Saint Louis University Madrid Avenida del Valle, 34 28003 Madrid, Spain Phone: (34) 91 554 5858, ext. 228 (lmazzuc1@slu.edu) For full consideration, apply by May 30, 2010. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Saint Louis University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer (AA/EOE); and encourages nomination of and application from women and minorities.; 11:43 PM, April 26, 2010
Anonymous said...: I think this is not an ad for our kind of political theory.

(IR and methods as areas of specialization?); 11:55 PM, April 26, 2010
Anonymous said...: It's an odd combination, but SLU is a theory-friendly school. I wouldn't necessarily assume otherwise. If you could plausibly claim to teach methods and/or IR, I'd definitely apply.; 12:05 AM, April 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: I doubt if the "theory friendly" character of the US department has any relevance for this position, which is for a different campus. The committee chair appears to not be a political science, which would explain the apparently different use of the term "political theory." It can't hurt to apply, but I would guess that this is not a political theory position in the traditional sense.; 7:28 AM, April 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: there are a few people out there who political theory of IR. I think there is an example in this issue of Polity.; 9:24 AM, April 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: The wiki lists the Bowdoin VAP as going to Seth Jaffe, a Toronto ABD.

Congratulations, Seth!; 2:34 PM, April 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: and hiliarious, in light of the Toronto bashing that just popped up on the other mill today.; 5:11 PM, April 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^Ha, absolutely!

And good job on landing the Bowdoin gig, Seth.; 5:17 PM, April 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: This could be an awesome job. Isn't this where Martin Luther taught?

Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science This is a one year, full-time, Visiting Assistant Professor or Instructor position in Political Philosophy (sabbatical replacement) beginning Fall of 2010. Ph.D candidates will be considered at the Assistant Professor level: ABD candidates will be considered at the instructor level. The primary teaching responsibilities will include teaching History of Political Philosophy and possibly general introduction to comparative politics. ABD required. Ph.D. preferred. Teaching experience required. Expertise in the history of political philosophy, particularly Ancient and Medieval Political Philosophy and American Political Thought desired. Applicants must be committed to teaching in liberal arts environment. The deadline for accepting applications is May 7, 2010. Wittenberg is committed to attracting and retaining highly qualified individuals who collectively reflect the diversity of our student body and society at-large. We believe it is educationally imperative to further our students? appreciation and understanding of a culturally diverse society, and we are committed to ensuring a diverse environment for all individuals, regardless of race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical ability, or disability. In that spirit, we are especially interested in receiving applications from individuals who would contribute to the diversity of our community. Wittenberg University only considers candidates that submit information online. Applicants are required to address and submit the following documents to George E. Hudson, Chair, Department of Political Science in MS Word or Adobe Acrobat format: • Cover letter • Letter of application explaining research and teaching interests • Graduate Transcript • Three letters of recommendations • Evidence of teaching effectiveness (teaching materials, syllabi, evaluations) Please set-up an account and submit materials through our online system at: http://wittenberg.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=18292 Materials submitted otherwise will not be accepted; 5:17 PM, April 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: So,if you are a Pictish Mithraist transvestite pedophile paraplegic, you should definitely apply to the above position at Wittenberg. Somehow, I don't think Luther would have approved, but, for a job, I'm willing to learn.; 12:42 AM, April 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: How many theorists on here are still unemployed for next year?; 7:55 AM, April 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^I assume you won't like the numbers. I would take the number of applications to some of the positions (more than 150 to some schools, based on their claims) minus the jobs that were filled (not more than 30). Even if some theorists found other jobs (doing what, not sure), there are still too many unemployed theorists.; 8:47 AM, April 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: The other web site says that Capital has hired. Any details?; 8:56 AM, April 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: Re 12:42, the diversity language is very standard boilerplate language that the HR people probably require. I don't think Luther would care one way or the other, as long as they don't have a preference for Catholics.; 9:38 AM, April 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: The Program in American Values and Institutions at Duke has emailed rejection letters for its postdoc. 50 + apps.; 10:45 AM, April 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: Martin Luther taught at a mid-tier SLAC in Central Ohio? You learn something new every day.

I don't think the math above necessarily works, as Minnesota probably got a lot of applications (at least a couple dozen, I'd imagine) from people who have jobs but were looking to move. (I am one of them. I applied for seven of the better jobs this year, to no avail. I'll probably keep doing this until I get tenure); 12:16 PM, April 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: REVEAL!; 2:19 PM, April 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: reveal what?; 4:06 PM, April 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: If the wiki is to be trusted, the Bates VAP is a done deal. Offer accepted. One more down...; 6:21 PM, April 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: This is on ejobs but for some reason was only put under American Politics and not under Theory. Good luck!

Institution: Harvard University Type of Insitution: PhD Title of Position: Post-Doc Starting Date: Summer 2010 Salary: $43,000 - $59,999 Geographic Region of the Institution: Northeast Complete Position Description Postdoctoral Fellowship for 2010-2011. Offered by the Program on Constitutional Government, Harvard University - Harvey Mansfield, Director. The Program on Constitutional Government in the Center for American Political Studies and the FAS Department of Government at Harvard University will offer one postdoctoral fellowship for the 2010-2011 academic year. The stipend is $50,000. Applicants must have received their doctorates no earlier than spring 2007 and no later than June 2010. They should have a record of teaching and writing in the fields of political theory or American government and politics, with an emphasis on the theoretical foundations or institutional and political consequences of the American Constitution. Hard copy of resume, research proposal, and brief writing sample with names of two references should be sent to Lilia Halpern-Smith, CAPS-Harvard University, CGIS Knafel K429, 1737 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02138. (Phone number to use on express shipment forms is 617-384-9810.) Applications review process will begin on May 15, 2010 and will continue until the position is filled. Inquiries should be directed to Lilia Halpern-Smith at lhalpern@gov.harvard.edu.; 9:25 PM, April 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: I am one of the 150 apps. I have a decent job but want to switch coasts, and apply to about 5-10 jobs every year. I also have tenure.

I know a lot of folks who are in my position. I wouldn't take that 150 as mostly ABDs and newly minted PhDs.; 10:43 AM, April 29, 2010
Anonymous said...: Rita E. Hauser Fellow in Human Rights

Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY) seeks a specialist
in the field of Human Rights who can help develop and participate
actively in the College’s new program. Both the academic training and
the human rights specialty of the applicant are open. The Rita E.
Hauser Human Rights Fellow will be appointed on a CUNY-designated
Distinguished Lecturer line, subject to annual reappointment,
renewable for up to seven years.

Hunter’s interdisciplinary program in Human Rights officially opens in
January 2011. It will offer undergraduates two related but distinct
tracks: a 15-credit minor in Human Rights; and a more advanced
24-credit Certificate. The Program will be based at Roosevelt House,
the renovated home of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, which is now the
home of Hunter’s new Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute. Hunter
College is the largest college in the City University of New York. It
is comprised of five schools: Arts and Sciences, Education, Nursing,
Public Health and Social Work, and has nearly 700 full-time faculty
members. Hunter enrolls over 20,000 students and has one of the most
diverse student bodies in the United States.

The primary responsibility of the Rita E. Hauser Human Rights Fellow
will be the day-to-day administration of the program. He/she will
work closely with the Chair and the other faculty members of the Human
Rights Program Faculty Committee in the planning and development of
new courses and should be qualified to teach in the program. The
Fellow will also have significant responsibilities for student
engagement, including creating and administering a public policy
internship program, and serving as the student adviser. Finally,
he/she will work closely at Roosevelt House with the Director of
Academic Programs and the Director of Public Programs and Operations
to develop public programs related to human rights and to publicize
them throughout Hunter College and in the wider community.

Qualifications:
Candidates must have a demonstrated record of expertise and
achievement in an area of Human Rights. Ideally, though not required,
strong candidates will also have several, if not all, of the
following: a PhD or JD; teaching and practical experience in Human
Rights; a record of publication with an ongoing research agenda.

Compensation:
Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.

How to Apply:
Please send letter of application, curriculum vita and the names and
addresses of three references to the following address:

Human Rights Search Committee
Office of the Provost
Room E1701
695 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10065
Or via e-mail to: rh@hunter.cuny.edu

Closing Date
Open until filled, with review of applications to begin on May 15, 2010

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer which
complies with all applicable laws and regulations, and encourages
inclusive excellence in its employment practices.; 1:17 PM, April 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: So, the Provost runs the searches at CUNY? Who owns the curriculum there? Has the administration taken over?; 11:30 AM, May 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: Can someone post a link to the "Wiki" that people keep referring to? I am new to the site, and I don't see a wiki link on the main page.; 2:19 PM, May 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: http://bluwiki.com/go/Poliscijobs0910; 2:34 PM, May 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: Anybody know what happened at LSE?; 8:46 AM, May 03, 2010
Anonymous said...: Since the human rights position is interdisciplinary, it may not have its own secretary. It's not unusual that it would go to an administrative office. I'm sure faculty will be involved in the search.; 8:50 AM, May 03, 2010
Anonymous said...: I am wondering who created the position. At my school, our provost and admin. is always pushing certain topics. We just created an honors college in the mold of CUNY--and while the faculty are developing the curriculum and doing the hiring, the provost and a special cohort of deans, etc, have provided us the theme and told us what type of profs are acceptable and what their specialties should be.

Some faculty are concerned about this. Some aren't.; 10:31 AM, May 03, 2010
Anonymous said...: Any job news? Should I give up on Penn State at this point?; 11:10 AM, May 04, 2010
Anonymous said...: I wouldn't give up on Penn St., but I would give up on getting any job news from this site.; 11:32 AM, May 04, 2010
Anonymous said...: Any one have a sense of the start date for the Essex post? I saw something on the listing announcement about October 10.; 12:15 PM, May 04, 2010
Anonymous said...: Essex start date is the fall.; 8:16 AM, May 05, 2010
Anonymous said...: Does anybody know anything about that Northwestern job in Political Communication?

Given the wording of the ad, it's hard to know if it's a) open to theorists, or b) has a serious inside candidate (check the deadline -- 2 days after the posting); 10:44 AM, May 05, 2010
Anonymous said...: No one on the other site gave a relevant response to the same question. This is a job I could apply for (AOC: rhetoric, communication) but will save my postage. It cannot be an open position with that timeline.; 10:09 PM, May 05, 2010
Anonymous said...: I know this blog is anonymous and all , but are you people really hanging on for these last ditch possibilities??

At what point do you just realize the odds and call a sunk cost sunk? I'm just so tired and sick of all the tired and sickness I keep seeing in people's requests for info. I mean, seriously??; 12:41 AM, May 06, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ Well, you're still here for some reason.

The other evil site contains dueling claims about Oregon--failed search on the one hand, offer accepted on the other. Any news about Oregon to share?; 2:53 AM, May 06, 2010
Anonymous said...: 2010-2011 sabbatical replacement

The Department of Political Science at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the state Honors College, seeks a one-year sabbatical replacement in American Politics or Political Theory for the 2010-2011 academic year. Good teaching skills and a demonstrated interest in working with undergraduate students are required. The normal teaching load is 3 courses per semester and will include Introduction to Politics as well as courses in the successful candidate’s subfield(s). A completed Ph.D. in political science by the time of appointment is preferred but consideration will be given to advanced ABDs.

Non-sectarian since its founding, St. Mary's College of Maryland, a public Carnegie Baccalaureate, Arts and Sciences institution located in Historic St. Mary's City, 70 miles southeast of Washington, D.C., has been designated as Maryland's public honors college. With highly selective admissions policies, academically talented students, and a rigorous curriculum, we offer a small college experience similar to that found at exceptional private colleges. The quality of life is enhanced by the recreational opportunities of the Chesapeake region and by our proximity to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, three references and evidence of teaching effectiveness to Professor Susan Grogan, Search Committee Chair, Department of Political Science, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 18952 E. Fisher Road, St. Mary's City, MD 20686-3001. Electronic applications may be sent to Ms. Lucy Myers, Kent Hall Fiscal Associate, at lhmyers@smcm.edu Please direct phone inquiries to Susan Grogan at 240-895-4205.

Review of applications will begin at the end of May and continue until the position is filled. St. Mary’s College of Maryland (www.smcm.edu) is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.; 11:29 AM, May 06, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^where was this position advertised?; 3:27 PM, May 06, 2010
Anonymous said...: Summertime, and the thoughts turn to... next year's market. Ugh. Anything is better than reflecting on this year's fiasco.

So, any rumors about who might be hiring in the Fall? Aside from the already-posted Denison, of course.; 6:08 PM, May 07, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^Give it a rest man. Just wait for the ads.; 7:03 PM, May 07, 2010
Anonymous said...: Anyone heard anything from Texas-Pan American?; 4:02 PM, May 09, 2010
Anonymous said...: Oregon offer either accepted or about to be.; 10:21 PM, May 09, 2010
Anonymous said...: So who ended up getting that Oregon job?; 10:44 AM, May 11, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^So who ended up getting that Oregon job?

Burt Reynolds; 10:33 AM, May 12, 2010
Anonymous said...: I don't think that's right.; 6:31 PM, May 12, 2010
Anonymous said...: Better or worse next year?; 10:08 AM, May 13, 2010
Anonymous said...: We don't even have the insight to know what happened this past year in terms of hires. Now people want to predict the future. Here's to being desperate.; 3:39 PM, May 13, 2010
Anonymous said...: Other blog says Oregon job went to Anita Chari (Chicago PhD). If true, congrats.; 9:25 AM, May 14, 2010
Anonymous said...: Speaking of Oregon, congrats to Sean Parson on the Alaska job!; 2:46 PM, May 14, 2010
webwings said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 3:21 AM, May 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^At least it's about employment...; 9:48 AM, May 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: History of PT post-doc at Oxford:

http://www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk/about/job-opportunities.html; 10:45 AM, May 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: have they shortlisted for the TCD political theory lectureship yet?; 11:42 AM, May 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: Wittenberg sent an automated email rejection in a timely manner. Wish other schools with an online application process would follow suit.; 7:26 PM, May 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: Has anyone heard anything from Texas--Pan American?; 7:51 PM, May 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: Just got my rejection from Brown PTP. Search is now closed.; 11:47 AM, May 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: yup, me too. considering how we haven't heard much by way of current fellows landing jobs, i'm wondering how many new spots they had to work with this year. couldn't have been more than one or two.

congrats to the lucky winners.; 11:58 AM, May 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ At what point do they actually cut people off? I wonder how long you could stretch that gig out, if you're well liked by the powers that be.; 1:22 PM, May 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: Greg Weiner of Georgetown University got a spot at Brown PTP. As I understand it you can renew there at least one year, and in a bad market not many spots open up.; 2:13 PM, May 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: One of the first call for post-docs for 2011-12 is out:

The Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities at the Penn Humanities Forum, University of Pennsylvania

For more: http://www.phf.upenn.edu/applications/postdoc/cfa.shtml; 5:19 PM, May 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: I think they've imposed a two-year cap.; 6:11 PM, May 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 11:28 AM, May 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 11:34 AM, May 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: UT-Pan American is currently doing phone interviews.; 2:43 PM, May 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 2:50 PM, May 19, 2010
Catharine said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 2:52 AM, May 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: Blog posts on the economic downside of academic life:

May 17, 2010
Why Does Academia Treat Its Workforce So Badly?
Megan McArdle
The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/05/why-does-academia-treat-its-workforce-so-badly/56829/

May 19, 2010
The Worst-Paid High-School Graduates in the Country
Marc Bousquet
CHE
http://chronicle.com/blogPost/The-Worst-Paid-High-School/24127/; 6:02 AM, May 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: TCD job - anyone? Any news? They said 2-3 weeks to shortlist, but I'm wondering if that is delayed because of examinations.; 7:18 AM, May 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: rejection from U-Wisconsin Mellon Postdoc.; 10:10 AM, May 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: UW Madison - Reject via e-mail, or what?; 10:31 AM, May 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: e-mail, form letter, saying three positions have been filled, over two hundred applications; 10:41 AM, May 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: 10:31 here -- found it in the Junk mailbox. So much for hope.; 2:55 PM, May 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: only 200 for a mellon? i guess the other 1200 who were applying to mellons last fall must have secured employment!

just got my uwrf & oregon rejects.; 5:05 PM, May 20, 2010
joancasilo said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 2:27 AM, May 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: 7^ I received my TCD rejection this morning via e-mail.; 8:33 AM, May 21, 2010
administrator said...: Confirming that Bates VAP has been accepted.; 12:29 PM, May 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Has anybody heard from Amherst? Rejections? Interview requests? ANYTHING?; 1:47 PM, May 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: did anyone else appreciate this week's New Yorker cover?; 3:25 PM, May 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: Skidmore hired Carl Scott for its VAP in political theory.; 6:50 PM, May 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: Laura Montanaro, an ABD from the University of British Columbia and a student of Mark Warren, got one of the Harper fellowships at the University of Chicago. Congrats!

(I believe at least one other political theorist got one of these jobs, but I'm not sure who.); 4:33 PM, May 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: Any news on UW River Falls?; 11:04 AM, May 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^you didn't get it.; 11:43 AM, May 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: Ben McKean from Princeton also got one of the Chicago fellowships. Congrats to Ben and Laura!; 1:58 PM, May 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: rejection from Amherst; 2:57 PM, May 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: Received UWRF rejection by post - 70+ applicants.; 1:00 PM, May 26, 2010
Anonymous said...: olks,
John Protevi, from LSU, and I have just created a petition for an
academic boycott of Middlesex University until it reinstates the
philosophy program there. Most of you are familiar with the background
of the issue, but for more detail, here's the website of those seeking
reinstatement:

http://savemdxphil.com/

I know many of you well, others less well. Please excuse the intrusion of
this mass email, but I am sure all of you recognize the urgency and the
stakes (for philosophy in particular and universities in general) of what
is happening at Middlesex.

Here's the petition. Please spread it as far and as widely as possible,
both inside and outside philosophy. The faster we get press on this, the
more likely the chances of reinstatement.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/academic-boycott-of-middlesex-university.html

or if this link is broken:
http://tinyurl.com/35j8e2l

Thanks much for your efforts.

Sincerely,
Todd May; 4:46 PM, May 26, 2010
Anonymous said...: The George Washington Forum on American Ideas, Politics and Institutions at Ohio University invites applications for a one-year postdoctoral fellowship in U.S. legal and constitutional history, which is funded by a grant from the Thomas W. Smith Foundation. The fellowship pays a salary of $40,000 and includes standard health insurance and retirement benefits. The successful applicant will be expected to teach a two-course survey of American constitutional history and two other courses in his or her field. Ph.D. required by September 2010.
Applicants must submit a “Quick Application via:
https://www.ohiouniversityjobs.com
Send a letter of application, c.v., and three letters of recommendation to Dr. Robert G. Ingram, Director, The George Washington Forum on American Ideas, Politics and Institutions, Department of History, Bentley Annex 415, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701-2979.
Review of applications will begin on 7 June and continue until the position is filled. Ohio University is an AA/EOE and encourages women and minorities to apply. The successful candidate will be required to complete Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.
http://www.h-net.org/jobs/preview_job.php?key=8i0o27q469z65SFj8
Contact Info:
Dr. Robert G. Ingram, Director
The George Washington Forum on American Ideas, Politics and Institutions
Attn: TWS Postdoctoral Fellowship
Department of History
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740-593-4348
Fax: 740-593-0259
Email: washingtonforum@ohio.edu
Website: http://www.ohio.edu/washingtonforum; 3:15 PM, May 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: In case anyone here had abandoned all hope and stopped checking the Chronicle, a new TT position ad for the fall:

The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences seeks candidates to fill the position of Assistant Professor of Political Science. This is a full-time tenure track, nine-month teaching position with the opportunity to teach during the summer.

Minimum Qualifications: Preference will be given to candidates who have demonstrated experience of effective teaching and research in Political Theory and can advise a growing number of Political Science majors interested in attending Law School. The Ph. D. is required by the time of appointment. Commitment to the mission of an 1890 land-grant HBCU and evidence of promise in research and publication is highly desirable.

Major responsibilities include, but are not limited to, strong motivation toward creative research in Political Science and have a commitment to teaching and advising at the undergraduate level. Proficiency in teaching in the following areas is expected: Normative Political Theory, Global Issues, *International Relations, Comparative Government (Western Europe and Developing Nations, especially Africa), and Introductory American Government.

Qualified applicants should send a letter of application, statement of educational philosophy, curriculum vitae, copies of official graduate transcripts and three letters of recommendation to:

Dr. Ebo Tei, Chairperson
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
1200 North University Drive
Mail Slot 4988
Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601

Position expected to be filled by Fall 2010 Semester.; 3:21 PM, May 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: Email rejection from Williams.; 3:51 PM, May 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: Skidmore rejection via e-mail. Who got the next offer(s) after Brendese?; 12:07 PM, May 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: 12:07 here: just saw it on the wiki.; 12:08 PM, May 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: O.k, so this year is over (yes, for a while now, but it feels like a good time for summaries and new-year resolutions, after receiving Williams' and Skidmore's e-mail 10 minutes apart).
so my question is this: Assuming that this year search failed - which is my case - what are you going to do this year so next year search will be successful? More teaching? publication? Ph.D. in hand? a better application material? Or something else? This is probably the information that I need the most right now (although I am curious to know what happened with Penn).; 12:22 PM, May 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ The answers aren't particularly mysterious for the most part. Teaching is good, if you haven't done much of it, and of course you'll probably be doing it to pay the bills. There are definitely schools that prefer PhD in hand, but this creates a problem if staying in your program another year is how you get access to teaching work. Publications are, of course, a huge help, but it's hardly something you just decide to do now in hopes for help in the fall--even if you have something to submit tomorrow, you're most likely positive outcome is an R&R and you probably won't have that in hand until past some of the application deadlines. My view is that you should submit your first good polished paper produced in graduate school to a journal, and from then on pretty much always have something under review. If nothing else, for the feedback.

Here's a suggestion I have: I spend three years as a VAP. I did not go on the market the first year I had that job. The second year, I went on the market and completely struck out. The third year i was in the VAP the market was somewhat weaker than the previous year, but I managed to get three interviews and two offers (and turned down a 4th interview after I'd signed a contract). What as weird was that my file did not noticably improve from the previous year--no new publications, I already had enough teaching experience that the extra year couldn't have mattered much, PhD in hand both times, etc. There was only one difference--I asked my chair in the SLAC where I was a VAP to write a letter. He didn't write about my work at all, but he wrote a letter about how I was an asset to the department, students love me, they wish they could keep me, etc.

Whether I was just unlucky the year I struck out and lucky the next year, or whether getting that extra letter helped a great deal, I have no idea. My speculation wouldn't be any better than yours.; 1:09 PM, May 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^I second the value of having a letter from someone outside your PhD-granting institution who knows you as a colleague.

On the other hand, I think your advice re: submitting articles is a bit optimistic for most grad students. Most seminar papers still require quite a bit of work before publication, and most dissertation work has to be sloce to complete before anything is ready to go out. I'm not saying it would be bad if a grad student did what you suggest, but I wouldn't suggest that it's standard in any way either.

^^This year's not over. Arkansas at Pine Bluff just posted an ad the other day.; 6:36 PM, May 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^that should be "close to complete."; 6:37 PM, May 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: Unfortunately, I think it is very important to have a publication. We ask too many people to publish before they are ready. However, it is the best way to catch the attention of a future employer. Besides, even if you get rejected, it will get you thinking about how to get into a journal. Take the next month and work on a diss. chapter or grad. paper and revise it. Read some top theory journals and look at the articles and see how far you have to go to get to that level.

I am also a strong believer in the VAP route. As a teacher, they want to see what and how you would teach. The less speculative, the better. If you succeed as a vistor outside your home institution, it is a good indication you are a safe bet.

That all said, in the end, this is a crap shoot. It depends entirely on the make-up of the search committee (and not just their preferences. Their insecurities and private agendas may be the decisive factors).

Finally, if you are still ABD, don't graduate this summer if you have nothing. Defend in the fall, and put that in your cover letter. Newly minted PhDs tarnish quickly, and if don't get anything, it can look bad.; 11:56 AM, May 29, 2010
Anonymous said...: 12:22 here. thanks for the answers. I do have some teaching experience and some publications, but apparently not enough. This is why I was wondering what should I focus on during the summer/beginning of Fall. I still have time to improve my c.v in one or two categories, but of course not more than that.
I would still like to hear from anyone who ended this year without a job and is willing to share: what are you planning to work during the summer/fall on in order to be a better candidate next year?; 12:00 PM, May 29, 2010
Anonymous said...: After a lot of struggle--going into May without a job two or three times, depending on how you count--I ended up with an excellent job.
Having done well in grad school obviously helped a lot, and also being able to publish. But also, being lucky, in there being a job or jobs out there one really fits.

This was a terrible year, and so one consolation is the possibility that you will be right for one of the jobs coming up.

Search committees may be arbitrary--having been on many, it is always interesting how much members disagree about assessments of particular candidates. But in many cases, schools have definite needs. It is of course lucky to be a good fit, but the more jobs there are and the longer you are out there, the more likely you will get lucky.; 12:17 PM, May 29, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^^You need a real publication, something in a top journal. That's the best thing you could do. Of course, if your work just isn't interesting, that can be a problem too.

I've also seen a surprisingly large number of bad cover letters. Make sure yours is good.; 12:35 PM, May 29, 2010
ahmed said...: I have gone through this blog. I found it very interesting and helpful. Nowadays I am completing my online degree course from home.
So this blog really doing great for me.

Part time jobs online; 3:28 AM, May 31, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^I have gone through to this link. I found it very compelling. Nowadays I have completed my degree and I am AP. This blog doing nothing for me.; 10:13 AM, May 31, 2010
Anonymous said...: Okay so I need some advice. I'm in a tenure track position that I'm fairly happy with but due to family reasons I will probably go on the market in the next year or two. Here's my problem, one of my original letter writers has decided to leave academia. So basically I'm short a third letter since the fourth person on my committee is outside of my field. Would it be totally inappropriate to ask for a letter from a colleague in my own department? If not, how do I go about asking?; 5:09 PM, May 31, 2010
Anonymous said...: One of my primary letter writers was outside of political theory. She was one of my three letter writers, and it was never a problem--I got a job.

Having a letter from someone in your department makes sense, if it's someone you can really, really trust, or if you're unconcerned about the department knowing you're looking to leave. Obviously, there's no easy answer here.

As for asking, do it pretty much like what you wrote here. Once you've decided to ask, no reason not to be straightforward and honest.; 9:25 PM, May 31, 2010
Anonymous said...: I have been led to believe that UT-Pan American hired Christie Maloyed (ABD Texas A&M) for their visiting position.; 6:27 PM, June 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: good show christie!

gig 'em.; 10:58 PM, June 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: Anyone know who Amherst and Williams hired?; 10:40 AM, June 03, 2010
Anonymous said...: William and Mary will be hiring one or two theory VAPs for the fall. Posting the ads shortly.; 4:54 PM, June 03, 2010
administrator said...: I have received an email from someone at W&M stating that the information in 4:54 is incorrect--W&M will not be hiring any Theory VAPs.; 8:11 PM, June 03, 2010
Dissertation Writing service said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 5:28 PM, June 04, 2010
Anonymous said...: Request for advice from a junior theorist: I just got a rejection from a top journal in the field. How long do I have to wait until I can submit another paper to that journal without seeming insolent?

Advice would be much appreciated!; 12:18 PM, June 07, 2010
Anonymous said...: You do not have to wait at all.; 8:18 PM, June 07, 2010
Anonymous said...: If you are resubmitting without seriously considering the reviewers' comments this would be an error. Take the paper and the comments to someone you trust and discuss with them are valid comments and which might just be reviewer specific. Chances are, some of the concerns from these reviewers will be brought up by others. Don't be too hasty.

As per norm, there is none that I am aware of.; 10:11 PM, June 07, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.; 10:13 PM, June 07, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^^ I think you misunderstand the question. She's not sending the same paper to Journal #2, she's sending Paper #2 to the same journal. Which, as others have noted, there is (to the best of my knowledge) no waiting period.

(I have heard of a norm of not having two papers under review at the same journal at the same time, but I've never heard of a norm against serial submitting. If you submit several hopeless papers in a row, that might be a different story, but if you've got another paper that fits the journal, go for it.); 12:32 AM, June 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: It is not about insolence, but if your second paper is (in your opinion) not clearly better or clearly more appropriate to the journal which just rejected your first paper then they might wonder about your judgment. Again, it depends: quality of journal, range/focus of journal, temperament of the editor, etc.

Try and figure out why they rejected your first paper, and how close a call it was, and figure out whether your new paper is similar.; 8:31 AM, June 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^^Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.; 11:06 AM, June 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: My Skidmore rejection asserts that they received apps from "several" fine candidates.

Very reassuring.; 5:22 PM, June 11, 2010
jessie said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 3:23 AM, June 12, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^If only getting the degree was the problem...; 7:40 AM, June 12, 2010
Anonymous said...: Well, next year has officially begun. Barnard posted a job.; 8:48 AM, June 14, 2010
Anonymous said...: Visiting Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science: Political Theory/US Public Law, Policy or Law
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
The Department of Political Science invites applications for the position of visiting assistant professor in Political Theory with secondary strengths in U.S. public law, policy or politics. This position will begin August 10, 2010 on a non-tenure track basis at the rank of visiting assistant professor for one year with the possibility of an additional year extension.
Required qualifications: Earned doctorate at the time of application in political science with a record of scholarship grounded in analytical, applied, comparative, critical, or normative theoretical perspectives of political theory as well as U.S. public law, policy or politics. Candidates must have a clearly defined specialization in one of the central areas of political thought to meet this department’s key teaching needs in its B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. program teaching responsibilities as well as demonstrated effectiveness in both undergraduate and graduate teaching. The teaching load for this position will be up to six courses a year.
Desired qualifications: Preference will be given to candidates whose research program and teaching specialization is tied to interdisciplinary scholarship in social, political, ethical, and cultural thought, along with a solid grounding in U.S. public law, policy or politics. This instructor will work with undergraduate and graduate students in political science and international studies along with non-majors in core curricular courses as well as doctoral students in the University’s social, political, ethical, and cultural thought Ph.D. program. Prior teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate level is preferred.
Interested persons must apply at http://jobs.vt.edu, posting number 0100363, where they will submit a cover letter, current curriculum vitae, recent writing samples, teaching evaluations, along with the recent letters of support from three to five academic references. Screening of applications will begin July 2, 2010 and continue until the position is filled. All inquiries can be sent to: Timothy W. Luke, Visiting Assistant Professor Political Theory Search Committee, Department of Political Science, 531 Major Williams Hall (0130), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061.
Individuals with additional questions or with disabilities desiring accommodations in the application process should contact the search committee chair, Timothy W. Luke, twluke@vt.edu, phone: 540.231.8477/6633.
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Agency
Virginia Tech has a strong commitment to diversity and seeks a broad spectrum of candidates, including women, veterans, minorities and people with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities desiring accommodations in the application process should notify the Chair of the Search Committee or the Virginia Tech Relay Service, 1-800-828-1129.; 2:25 PM, June 14, 2010
Shabbeer said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 2:25 AM, June 15, 2010
Anonymous said...: The School of Government and International Affairs invites applicants for the post of Teaching Fellow in Political Thought. This full-time, fixed term position is available from 1 October 2010 - 30 June 2011.

The appointed person will be expected to undertake appropriate postgraduate and undergraduate teaching in the School with a focus on political thought. This will include delivering a level 3 module on British Political Thought since 1850 and contributing to the delivery of a level 2 module on Foundations of Western Political Thought and a level 1 module on Ideas and Ideologies. The contribution to postgraduate teaching will be determined in the light of the skills of the successful candidate.

Further details of the post and an application form are available on our website (http://www.dur.ac.uk/jobs) or Tel: 0191 334 6499; fax: 0191 334 6495

Reference number: 0272

Closing date: 7th July 2010; 3:02 PM, June 15, 2010
Anonymous said...: The School of Government and International Affairs invites applicants for the post of Teaching Fellow in Political Thought. This full-time, fixed term position is available from 1 October 2010 - 30 June 2011.

The appointed person will be expected to undertake appropriate postgraduate and undergraduate teaching in the School with a focus on political thought. This will include delivering a level 3 module on British Political Thought since 1850 and contributing to the delivery of a level 2 module on Foundations of Western Political Thought and a level 1 module on Ideas and Ideologies. The contribution to postgraduate teaching will be determined in the light of the skills of the successful candidate.

Further details of the post and an application form are available on our website (http://www.dur.ac.uk/jobs) or Tel: 0191 334 6499; fax: 0191 334 6495

Reference number: 0272

Closing date: 7th July 2010; 3:03 PM, June 15, 2010
Anonymous said...: Belmont Abbey hired Patrick Cain (Baylor).

Congrats Patrick!; 9:34 PM, June 15, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ Nice to see the Catholics and Baptists getting along finally.; 9:45 AM, June 16, 2010
Anonymous said...: that's two for baylor this season! add to that the two theorists from a&m who got jobs ...

looks like the rankings for theory programs in texas need some updating.; 1:55 PM, June 16, 2010
Anonymous said...: any info on what Stanford is looking for?; 9:00 PM, June 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ The best junior theorist alive at the moment who is interested in living in Palo Alto.; 2:52 AM, June 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: The Department of Political Science invites applications for a one-year, visiting position at the Assistant Professor level beginning in September, 2010. Teaching responsibilities include introductory thematic courses on equality, freedom, and legitimacy as well as upper-level courses focusing on particular traditions and discourses. Applicants who can also teach courses in a second area (such as, American politics or identity politics) would be helpful. Preference will be given to applications of individuals with demonstrated excellence in teaching. DePaul University is committed to recruiting a diverse faculty to complement the diversity of its student body and Chicago area communities. Applications should include: a cover letter, CV, sample syllabi, course evaluations, and three current letters of recommendation. All items should be sent to Search Committee, Department of Political Science, DePaul University, 990 W. Fullerton Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614-2458. For more information, email polisci@depaul.edu or visit the department’s web site at http://las.depaul.edu/~psc. The committee will begin reviewing applications immediately.; 2:53 AM, June 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: Barnard, Goucher, Pitzer, Stanford, BYU--already more jobs than we had by the end of July last year. I know this may mean nothing, but it is cause for a tiny bit of optimisim.; 7:42 AM, June 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: Political Science Faculty
History, Government, & Social Science

The School of Arts and Sciences of Biola University has one opening for a three-quarter, one-year position in Political Science, to begin in the fall semester of 2010. The candidate would teach three courses per semester of 2010-2011, with the possibility of one-year renewals of the contract. The position will include full benefits. The candidate would teach in the following areas: international affairs; American government; political thought and political philosophy; and politics and economics. Applicants must have a Ph.D. by the fall of 2010 in Political Science or a closely-related field. Teaching experience is preferred, but not required.

Interested applicants should send a letter of application, curriculum vitae, and evidence of teaching experience to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Biola University, 13800 Biola Avenue, La Mirada, CA 90639-0001, Phone: 562-777-4016, Fax: 562-903-4761. Application materials may also be sent via email to shirley.sims@biola.edu. The chair of the search committee is Prof. Daniel Christensen. Applications will be mailed to promising candidates.; 8:37 AM, June 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: Hi, I am just now looking at grad schools, so I don't know where all these positions get posted (future reference and all). Is there one place where all these new openings are advertised?; 1:56 PM, June 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: Yes, they are posted on the APSA website (and some on the Chronicle, too.) Unfortunately you have to pay to access the jobs listings.; 4:29 PM, June 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: Didn't Barnard have a search just two years ago? Did they hire then? What's the back story?; 9:38 AM, June 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: Also, is the Stanford hire a replacement for a departing faculty member (tenure denial?) or a new line?; 1:57 PM, June 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: I don't think you have to pay to access the jobs. But you do need to be a member of APSA, which isn't cheap.

Just know that getting a theory PhD is risky. It isn't like English or Math, but it is not easy to get an academic job. On the bright side, who knows what the market will look like in 7-8 years. Still, go in with open eyes--the theory market is poor.; 9:20 AM, June 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Just received a "thanks for your interest, but we hired someone else" email from Columbia for the job they posted last year. Better late than never, I guess...; 11:14 AM, June 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Whom did Wisconsin-River Falls hire?; 12:21 PM, June 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Alzate--check the Wiki.; 1:24 PM, June 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: huh? alzate listed on wiki - and has been for weeks - as the VAP hire at susquehanna.

no name on wiki for UWRF. i, too, would be interested in knowing.; 1:52 PM, June 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Cyril Ghosh got the Smith VAP. Congrats.; 9:07 PM, June 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: Regarding the earlier question about the Stanford position, someone on the other blog said that Peter Stone (an assistant prof. in theory at Stanford) did not get tenure...; 11:11 AM, June 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: Has Stone been there that long?; 3:38 PM, June 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: No, Peter did not get tenure, and on the standard clock. Yes, there is now an assistant line at Stanford, and the ad is posted on ejobs for anyone who would like to see it. For decency's sake -- and Peter is a *very* decent guy -- let us please move on from this topic.; 8:11 PM, June 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: I am sure Stone is a great guy.

The point of the question was to see if any insiders can say anything about the possible kind of work that Stanford may now be interested in for the Asstn Prof. position.

Or if the search is very broad and there is no way to narrow down possible areas.; 1:34 AM, June 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: Apply & see if they call you.; 8:31 AM, June 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: What kind of area codes are they interested in?

Should I give my cell phone or land line?

Would a Skype contact be useful?

Any inside info would be greatly appreciated!; 11:50 AM, June 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: wow youre all so funny.

some places look for a general kind of work.

that's all.

anyway I already have a job, im sure u dont lol; 5:19 PM, June 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ Based on your grammar-challenged posts, I surmise you're the guy who always bashes Stanford theory here and at PSJR. Are you sure you really want to join such a bunch of losers?; 6:04 PM, June 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: 5:19 has a job but will apply to stanford just for the lulz!; 11:09 AM, June 25, 2010
Anonymous said...: Amy Linch, from Rutgers, has accepted the lecturer position at Penn State.; 1:47 PM, June 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: Congrats Amy!; 6:37 PM, June 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: Will Stanford being searching junior and senior next year?; 1:19 PM, June 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: Being the searches for juniors and the seniors of Stanford fall.; 2:59 PM, June 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: more relevantly for most of us, will suckwater state teachers college be listing a VAP position or merely a lectureship?; 3:43 PM, June 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: http://ittc-web.astate.edu/bio/public/detailed_bio_lite.php?bio_id=672; 4:20 PM, June 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^???; 9:13 PM, June 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^, I believe what ^^ is trying to do is inform us that Jason Adams (ABD? PhD? Hawaii) has been offered and taken the position for a visiting assistant professor at Arkansas State University.; 2:09 AM, June 29, 2010
Anonymous said...: Perhaps this is a good time to remind us all what a few of the top places do, and I guess Stanford should be included among them. They hire quite a few promising theorists at the assistant level knowing that they will grant tenure to only a few, maybe fewer than a third. Their reasoning is that such people will easily land on their feet coming from an elite institution. But it is hard on everyone involved. Anyone want to check out how many theorists at the most elite institutions were granted tenure there after being hired as assistant profs?

I know of one, not a political theorist, who was denied for only having one book with Cambridge and 10 peer-reviewed essays.; 9:37 AM, June 29, 2010
Anonymous said...: The only places I'm aware of that actually do it this way are Harvard and Princeton, and possibly Yale, though the n there is much smaller. And the senior thread is reporting that Harvard has just tenured Eric Nelson, which if I'm not mistaken makes the first internal tenure in theory there since Michael Sandel.

As for being denied despite being productive, the elite schools don't just look at productivity but rather at whether the candidate can plausibly be considered the best or one of the handful of best people doing that kind of work -- and whether that kind of work is likely to remain central to the field going forward.

I happen to think that the Harvard/Princeton model is bad not only for the candidates but for the intellectual health of the departments in question, but that's another story.; 12:41 PM, June 29, 2010
Anonymous said...: I'm not sure exactly what model you think is bad. Hasn't Princeton tenured people? (Didn't Jan-Werner Mueller get tenure there? Did Alan Patten have tenure when he was hired there?) It would't seem bad to tenure a limited number of people, given the fact that these departments often have several junior faculty at any point, many of whom may not show themselves to be on track to be as good as the senior faculty they would join. I suppose it would probably be bad to never tenure anybody (some people really have shown they are likely to be one of the best in the field by that point in their career, and having absolutely no hope would probably create a terrible atmosphere.)But surely many many people are still in a position where it just isn't clear how they will develop- and why shouldn't departments that can get the best hold out senior positions for those people?; 1:47 PM, June 29, 2010
Anonymous said...: I guess I was thinking of Harvard more than Princeton, and I don't know enough about the history at Princeton to comment on the specific counter-examples you propose. But I would submit that having a policy in place of tenuring internally only very rarely leads (a) to excessively conservative hiring practices (we must hire/tenure only the very best!), (b) to an excessively top-heavy department (no one ever leaves!), and (c) to an excessive marginalization of the junior faculty, who would otherwise be a source of energy and fresh ideas (we must not form attachments!).

I would also suggest that if you look at the history of tenuring and tenure denials at Harvard then it's hard to argue that they've had better-than-random success at predicting future greatness.; 10:04 PM, June 29, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ Yes, who would not rather have Bonnie Honig around than Michael Sandel?? Who else have Harvard let go from theorists they had as juniors?; 6:48 AM, June 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: I don't really know anything about any of these schools (I don't even know who works there!), but I'm fairly confident I could run each of these top-ranked departments better than they've been run in the past.; 7:07 AM, June 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: Partial lists off the top of my head

Harvard:

Up: Sandel, Nelson

Down: Macedo, Berkowitz, Honig

Allowed to leave without tenured counteroffers or encouraged to leave without putting themselves up for tenure: Mehta, Krause, Tarnopolsky, Morgan, Muirhead

Princeton:

Up: Gutmann, Viroli, Mueller

Down: Deneen, Yack

Allowed to leave without tenured counteroffers or encouraged to leave without putting themselves up for tenure: Avens, Pitts, Muthu, Shaw; 10:34 AM, June 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: Princeton-encouraged-departure: Elizabeth Kiss.

Alan Patten had tenure at McGill when Princeton hired him.; 10:35 AM, June 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: Stephen Holmes was also voted down at Harvard, at around the same time that Sandel was tenured.; 11:51 AM, June 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: In response to 10:34am, Princeton tried to retain Muthu and Pitts.; 12:58 PM, June 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: ...but not by offering them tenure, as I understand it. Which isn't a very serious effort at retention, since no person in their right mind would turn down a tenured offer at a school like Chicago in favor of an untenured position, even at a place like Princeton.; 3:56 PM, June 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: My understanding is that (while everyone adores Michael Sandel personally) Harvard has been a bit gun-shy about tenuring a theorist after Sandel, for fear of another screw-up. (And on purely scholarly grounds, there can really be no serious denying that Sandel was a screw-up, with hindsight.); 7:30 PM, June 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: "no person in their right mind would turn down a tenured offer at a school like Chicago in favor of an untenured position, even at a place like Princeton."

"Even"?

Chicago's arguably a better theory program.; 8:53 PM, June 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: On purely scholarly grounds Harvard definitely screwed up tenuring Sandel over Holmes. But Sandel's certainly a nicer guy.....; 8:55 PM, June 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^^And arguably it's not. Unarguably Princeton has a lot more money, and a much stronger overall poli sci department. Given tenure at both places, I'd find Princeton an easy call. But no, I wouldn't turn down tenure somewhere else for an untenured retention package, even at Princeton.; 9:33 PM, June 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: It certainly is "arguable," Princeton backer. Don't be dogmatic--it undermines your case.

I'm not interested in "money" when I evaluate a program. Here's how I see it:

Princeton has the single Big Gun: Pettit.

But after that, I think that virtually all of the Chicago theorists are better at what they do than their Princeton counterparts.

Plus, Chicago doesn't do patronage appointments (Macedo by Gutmann), token appointments (Muller as a "continentalist") or tolerate much underproductivity (Beitz) or dead wood (Viroli).

Princeton is still a very fine program, but not overall as strong as Chicago.; 1:05 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: does either have a job opening? no? okthxbai.; 1:31 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: I suppose it matters what you are looking for. I don't measure quality by "number of articles churned out." So I would say that Beitz would be a great person to be around- high quality work, and, when I've see him at least, thoughtful, careful and interesting. Chicago certainly has its share of tokens (token analytics anyone?) Moreover, its not clear to me that somebody like Mueller, given Princeton's resources wouldn't be able to do whatever he wants. A glance at his website bio suggests he is running a center for the history of thought? That doesn't sound marginalized to me. Plus they have Melissa Lane. Alan Patten, whose work seems excellent and quite diverse to me, isn't a under-performer by any logical measure. Its a question of taste- even if the people at Chicago were constant publishers of decent work (and many are questionable on that metric) I wouldn't find them interesting- reading, say, John McCormick's work, makes me want to stab my eyes out with toothpicks for the boredom. But I don't pretend that means the work is bad. Princeton and Chicago are both fine departments with many excellent faculty members. They have slightly different flavors. Feel free to prefer the one that suites your taste. Stop trying to pretend that means one is clearly superior. I really don't understand what it is with this board and Princeton- it would almost seem clear Princeton HAS to be the best department in everybody's secret corners of their mind or they wouldn't spend so much time trying to obsessively tear it down.; 1:32 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: enough--harvard, chicago,and princeton are all great programs. this is one of the sillier debates that comes up from time to time on this blog. Who cares. if you come out of either of the three, you will have been well-trained by the best theorists (sandel included. he is no screw-up.) count yourself lucky. if you didn't come from one of these programs, this doesn't mean you cannot have a wonderful career. if you can't join, beat 'em.; 1:50 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: Back to the purpose of this blog--MIT is hiring next yaer. I guess this is a replacement for Cohen.; 2:43 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: or, more likely, Song. I think Phil paid for Cohen, and don't think MIT's likely to authorize a senior line in the field, is it?; 3:03 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: What would MIT be looking for? A Straussian? (Obviously!); 4:12 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: Yes, but secretly. You're not supposed to mention it out loud.; 4:25 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: One doesn't have to run down the theorists at Princeton to argue that those at Chicago are better, at least along these lines:

Chicago has a group of fairly young theorists--Markell, McCormick, Mutthu and Pitts--who are doing exciting work right now that, when published as books, will be very influential over the next decade or so.

I don't think that you can say about any of the Princeton theorists that their best and most influential work lies ahead of them. At least not on the basis of recent papers, articles, etc. that I've seen.; 4:29 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: Has there been an announcement of the MIT job?; 4:37 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: Does Markell's best work lie ahead of him?; 4:54 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ He's writing what may turn out to be the best book ever written on Hannah Arendt.

McCormick, Muthu and Pitts are doing comparably path breaking work on, respectively, Machiavelli, international human rights and the Enlightenment origins of globalization.

I'm not studying at Chicago, but my best friend is. Wish I were....; 5:27 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: "I really don't understand what it is with this board and Princeton"

In this case (as in may instances before) its a Princeton partisan jealously guarding the program's "entitled" position of #2 (to Harvard) who started the trouble....; 5:32 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: Looks to me like "Chicago's arguably a better theory program" started this round.; 7:39 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: "He's writing what may turn out to be the best book ever written on Hannah Arendt."

Which ones in particular do you see it aufhebung-ing and why do you think it will be better than Bound by Recognition?; 8:14 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: The typically condescending "even" in 3:56 started it.; 9:09 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: Aw, c'mon. Haven't you ever had the experience of your academic idols losing their luster for one reason or another? It's sad when it happens. Let him stay starry eyed for as long as he can.; 10:05 PM, July 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: My advisor's better looking than your advisor.; 6:54 AM, July 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: Hold on. This discussion started with a question about the merits of the Harvard-Princeton "tenure someone once a decade" model of promotion. That led to a recap of the history of tenure denials and junior retention failures at H & P, and someone mentioned the Muthu-Pitts move from P'ton to Chicago. Someone else claimed that Princeton had tried to retain them, and I pointed out that the retention offer didn't include tenure, and that asking someone to choose a tenured position over a non-tenured position isn't serious "even at a place like Princeton."

I don't see how you could manage to read that as a "typically condescending" statement unless you already have a huge chip on your shoulder. I was saying (tacitly) that Princeton is one of the few places where one might even *think* about turning down a tenured offer to stay on.

Princeton and Chicago are both great programs with great people, so let's tone down the macho crap and talk about something constructive.; 11:26 AM, July 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: "Princeton is one of the few places where one might even *think* about turning down a tenured offer to stay on."

NOT if you have a tenure offer from, say, Harvard, Yale, Berkeley or, in this case, Chicago, which is what we were talking about.; 11:38 AM, July 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: ...and which is exactly what I said 2 days ago. Sheesh.

I do know of one advanced assistant (not a theorist) who turned down a tenured offer at a top-20 school in order to stay at Harvard. The person did not get tenure in the end.; 12:14 PM, July 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: As someone with no dog in the Chicago-Princeton pissing match: the "even at Princeton" post successfully said just what its author above says it said. I didn't read it as condescending, and I didn't understand what the Chicago-booster was frothing at the mouth about.

I wouldn't turn down a guaranteed ten million dollar payoff, even for a guaranteed million dollar payoff plus a 10% chance at an X million dollar payoff.

Question: does my use of the word "even" tell us anything about the value of X?

If X>90, then I'm saying "I wouldn't give up the secure payoff even though I'd be losing in expected value terms."

If X<90, then I'm saying "I wouldn't give up the bigger payoff even though I'm foregoing what would otherwise be a very fortunate windfall."

The chip-on-his-Big-Shoulders poster was drawing an inference that the word "even" doesn't justify; the original sentence was totally noncommittal as to whether Chicago or Princeton would be the better place to have a tenured job.; 12:38 PM, July 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: I thought the princeton post was pretty condescending too, fwiw....; 1:48 PM, July 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: Please show your work : ); 2:01 PM, July 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: Since this discussion hasn't died, I will add that the Princeton Politics Department did everything it could to assure Muthu and Pitts that they would receive tenure. The reason that the department was not able to tenure them immediately was the slowness of the process at the dean/provost level and not to do with anything on the department level.

Or so I am told.; 2:22 PM, July 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: "He's writing what may turn out to be the best book ever written on Hannah Arendt."

Jeez, no pressure...; 4:40 PM, July 02, 2010

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Political theory and public law job market

4/26/2010

2009-10 Junior Political Theory Jobs Post #5

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