Political theory and public law job market: 2010-11 Junior Theory Jobs Post #1

8/06/2010

2010-11 Junior Theory Jobs Post #1

For: Discussion of all junior political theory jobs advertised in 2010-11.

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.

519 Comments:

administrator said...: Job ads from the last thread:

Two Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Political Thought
University of Johannesburg

Two Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are on offer for one year (renewable for another) in the Department of Politics, University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa. They will be under the mentorship of Professor Lawrence Hamilton, who holds a South African National Research Foundation President's Award. The fellowship can be taken up from 15 January 2011, and is set at the UJ's rate for postdoctoral fellowships, currently R170 000 per annum, sufficient to cover living expenses.

UJ is now a unique environment in South Africa for research in political thought and theory. Existing researchers include a group of at least twenty professors, lecturers, postdoctoral fellows and research graduates working on a variety of topics within the history of political thought and political philosophy, including freedom; power; human needs and rights; luck egalitarianism; political judgement; constitutionalism; justice and poverty; Islamic political thought; environmental ethics and politics; the intellectual history of freedom in America; African political thought; the thought of Machiavelli, Rousseau and Marx, amongst others; and public debt in South Africa.
Applicants should not feel, however, that they have to restrict their research proposals to these or cognate areas. The proposed postdoctoral research can be on any topic within the fields of history of political thought, political philosophy or political theory - including research that makes use of empirical analysis and case studies to further the understanding or applicability of a question within political theory. The final choice of candidate will not be influenced by their choice of research topic.

Candidates are only eligible if they have been awarded a doctoral degree within the last five years; and, if they have yet to receive the degree, they must have it in hand by the time they take up the position, or preferably by the end of 2010. Interested candidates should email their curriculum vitae, the names of three referees, an example of their written (preferably published) work of about 10 000 words, and a one-page summary of their proposed postdoctoral research to Professor Hamilton (lhamilton@uj.ac.za or lah1001@cam.ac.uk) by 30 September 2010. They can also post their applications to: Professor Lawrence Hamilton, Department of Politics, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa, making sure they arrive by the deadline. The successful candidate will be informed by the 15 October 2010.; 12:06 AM, August 08, 2010
administrator said...: Job ads from the last thread:

Jacob T. Levy said...

http://www.mcgill.ca/rgcs/gripp/fellowships/

The Groupe de recherche interuniversitaire en philosophie politique de Montréal (GRIPP), along with the Research Group on Constitutional Studies (RGCS) and Departments of Philosophy and Political Science at McGill University, will offer one or more postdoctoral fellowships at McGill in 2011-12. Area of specialization is open within political theory and political philosophy, but we are especially interested in applicants whose research is relevant to one or more of these GRIPP research themes:

1) The history of liberal and democratic thought, especially early modern thought;

2) Moral psychology and political agency, or politics and affect or emotions or rhetoric;

3) Democracy, diversity and pluralism.

4) Democracy, justice, and transnational institutions

Ph.D. must be in hand by 1 September 2011; preference may be given to candidates whose Ph.D.s will be in hand by 15 April 2011. Preference may also be extended to those with a knowledge of French, and to Canadian citizens or permanent residents; please indicate French knowledge and Canadian status in cover letter.

The fellow will be expected to be in residence at McGill for the academic year and to take part in GRIPP and RGCS workshops and conferences. The stipend will be at least $C 27,000 and may be higher. Summer fellowships, paid teaching on top of the stipend, an a research allowance are possible.

Please submit cover letter, CV, a writing sample of one chapter or paper, research statement, and three letters of recommendation via Email to GRIPP.postdoc@gmail.com . Materials may be sent if needed to: GRIPP postdoctoral fellowship, Political Science, McGill University, 855 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal QC H3A 2T7, but electronic submission is preferred. Deadline: September 15.; 12:06 AM, August 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: Since we are at the beginning of this discussion and this year, I think now is an excellent time to thank our anonymous threadkeeper, who continues to keep us going while suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune (and who knows outrageous fortune better than those attempting to land political theory jobs?) So bravo or brava, and thank you!; 7:51 PM, August 10, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ Agreed: thank you!; 10:44 AM, August 11, 2010
Anonymous said...: Yes, much praise to our glorious moderator overlords!

In other news, here's an.....interesting job opportunity:

Job Opportunity: American University in Iraq

Professors of the Principles and History of Economic Thought as well as English Composition, Rhetoric, and Literature

The American University of Iraq – Sulaimani is a private, non-profit, American accredited, English language, equal-opportunity institution of higher education. AUI-S is located in the city of Sulaimani in the Kurdistan Region, with a tolerant and welcoming environment, security, and growing economy. AUI-S is now seeking professors of English Composition, Rhetoric, and Literature and professors of political theory, politics, and especially of the Principles and History of Economic Thought, all in our undergraduate program.
We are looking for instructors with an MA or PhD from an accredited institution of higher education and at least three years of teaching experience at the postsecondary level. Salaries and benefits are very competitive.
Please see our website www.auis.org.
To apply, attach your CV and cover letter in Microsoft Word (.doc or .rtf) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format and send to john.agresto@auis.org.; 1:29 PM, August 11, 2010
Anonymous said...: What does a "competitive" salary in Iraq look like?; 4:54 PM, August 11, 2010
Anonymous said...: Here's a new job that might be of particular interest if you have a law degree.

University of Massachusetts – Amherst. The Department of Political Science invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position as Assistant Professor in the interdisciplinary Legal Studies program to start September 1, 2011. Applicants from all fields of law and society scholarship will be considered. We have particular interest in scholars whose work has transdisciplinary conceptual orientations and is boundary spanning with regard to locales, scales and places of legality, and methodologies. A Ph.D. in the social sciences, humanities, or relevant interdisciplinary field of study is required, and we welcome applicants who hold both Ph.D. and J.D. degrees. The successful candidate should be strongly committed to teaching in an interdisciplinary undergraduate law and society program and demonstrate significant promise in scholarly research and extramural grant activity.

Legal Studies at UMass-Amherst is the oldest, pre-eminent, undergraduate liberal arts program for the study of law and legal systems in the country. It is the center for the campus-wide Law and Society Initiative, home to the National Center for Technology and Dispute Resolution, and hosts the Executive Offices of the Law and Society Association. Building on its established strengths, Legal Studies is in an exciting stage of transition. This involves development of new research and teaching initiatives and greater collaborations with sociolegal scholars across campus and within the Department of Political Science, which is continuing to build a faculty of scholars whose work spans traditional fields of Political Science (see the summary of the department’s orientation at http://polsci.umass.edu/graduate/prospective_students/admissions/).

Review of applications will begin on October 1, 2010 and continue until the position is filled. The department strongly prefers that applicants submit their cover letter, curriculum vitae, and writing samples in electronic form through the Academic Jobs Online website at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo and arrange for electronic transmission of three letters of recommendation to the same site. Alternatively, printed versions of the application materials can be sent all paper submissions should be sent to Tracy Tudryn, Dean’s Assistant, Dean’s Office, 230 Draper Hall, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003. Inquiries about the position can be addressed to legal@polsci.umass.edu.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. It and the Department are strongly committed to increasing the diversity of faculty, students, and curriculum, and particularly encourage applications from women and minorities.; 8:53 PM, August 11, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^^ It means you get to stay alive.; 8:18 AM, August 13, 2010
Anonymous said...: Oklahoma appears to be searching in APT/Constitutional thought again. (It's listed under American on APSA).

Did their search fail last year, or get postponed for funding? Anyone know what the deal is?; 11:51 AM, August 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: New York University has established a campus in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and invites applications for one or more faculty positions at any level (assistant, associate or full professor). We encourage applicants in any area of political science, including political theory. The terms of employment are competitive compared to U.S. benchmarks and include housing and educational subsidies for children. Faculty may also spend time at NYU in New York and at its other global campuses. The appointment might begin as soon as September 1, 2011, or could be delayed until September 1, 2012.

NYU Abu Dhabi is recruiting faculty of international distinction committed to active research and the finest teaching, to building a pioneering global institution of the highest quality, and to forging an international community of scholars and students.

Alongside its highly-selective liberal arts college, NYU Abu Dhabi will create distinctive graduate programs and a world-class institute for advanced research that fosters creative work across the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences, and Engineering. Situated at a new global crossroads, NYU Abu Dhabi has the resources and resolve to become a preeminent center of collaborative intellectual pursuit and impact.

NYU New York and NYU Abu Dhabi are integrally connected. The faculties work together, and the campuses form the foundation of a unique global network university, linked to NYU’s other study and research sites on five continents.

Major research projects and public programs are underway. We have recruited our first cohort of faculty across many disciplines and the first class of students of remarkable potential from across the world arrive in Fall 2010. The international character of NYUAD is reflected in the global composition of the faculty and the student body as well as the research agenda and curriculum, which have been designed to promote inventiveness, intellectual curiosity, multidisciplinary interest, and intercultural understanding.

The review of applications will begin on September 15, 2010. Applicants need to submit a curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching interests, representative publications and three letters of reference in PDF format to be considered. Please visit our website at http://nyuad.nyu.edu/human.resources/open.positions.html for instructions and other information on how to apply. If you have any questions, please e-mail nyuad.socialscience@nyu.edu.

NYU Abu Dhabi is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.; 6:49 PM, August 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: NYU encouraging theory applicants? That's different. Are you sure they didn't mean formal theory?; 9:45 AM, August 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: hey, as long as you make sure to list your job on eJobs, you really don't need to put it here. i've never seen 10 posts take up so much space.

if you really, really want to post something here, you could post updates about status of the search, instead of leaving us all hanging after we apply.; 9:47 AM, August 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: not everyone has access to ejobs.; 10:34 AM, August 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^^^ NYU hired a junior political theorist (Penvick) two years ago. It's not a theory-centric place, but it's not Penn State either. Besides, the Abu Dhabi campus is much more about liberal arts than NYU.

It'd probably be a good job, if you can stand the heat.; 11:46 AM, August 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^^ seriously? if you don't have ejobs, then the stray job posting here (about, what, a sixth of the actual jobs out there?) ain't gonna solve your problem.

go ahead and drop the $60 APSA membership fee, or $200 or whatever it is. take out a loan if you have to.

or, wait until next year. i'm fine with that.; 4:57 PM, August 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: I agree: having to pay to have access to job listings sucks but it is a necessary expense. I'm not a huge fan of this blog being taken up with by job announcements.

(Maybe the moderator could set up another thread on which job announcements could be posted?); 5:40 PM, August 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: Please continue to post jobs! Seriously, how big of a nuisance is it to have the odd job posting amidst the general conversation?; 6:15 PM, August 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: I posted the NYU ad. I just figured that some people might miss it since it was listed under 'other' and not an obvious theory job. Just trying to help out; 6:26 PM, August 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: Right--I post things here that theorists following ejobs might otherwise miss. The annoyance factor seems minimal, as long as your scroll down button is functioning properly.; 7:14 PM, August 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: as the original complainer - i do see the avlue in pasting here listings that might otherwise not hit the radar.

but stuff that will show up under "theory" on ejobs, well ... it just burns bits.

they don't grow on trees, you know.; 8:49 PM, August 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: University of Wisconsin (Madison) just posted a theory job ad on APSA ejobs. Anyone have any idea what they're looking for?; 3:52 PM, August 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: Perhaps this is a delayed replacement for Richard Boyd, who went to Georgetown?; 4:26 PM, August 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: UW has made two hires (Klausen + Zumbrunnen) since Boyd & MacGilvray left ~ 2005 (?).; 7:31 PM, August 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: "UW has made two hires (Klausen + Zumbrunnen) since Boyd & MacGilvray left ~ 2005 (?)."

In that case, they haven't yet replaced Patrick Riley (big shoes!).; 7:34 PM, August 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: I think this is just one of a bunch of new lines. Klausen replaced Riley, from what I understand.; 10:04 PM, August 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: Did they ever replace Hawley Fogg-Davis?; 12:30 AM, August 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: Claremont McKenna has a straight theory job that, for some reason, is listed under the "Other" section.; 1:08 AM, August 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: Is Claremont Mckenna a Straussian stronghold? Looks like it from a quick glance at the department's website. I take it non-Straussians need not apply?; 3:51 AM, August 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: Related to ^, what about Christopher Newport?; 6:46 AM, August 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: I heard that there are actually to openings in Chile.

Here is the add:
The Instituto de Ciencia Política of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile invites applications for multiple tenure track positions at the level of assistant professor in Political Theory, Comparative Politics and International Relations. It is particularly urgent to fill positions in Political Theory. Applicants who hold a Ph.D. in Political Science (or its equivalent) will have preference, but ABDs will be considered. Candidates should be available in March 2011. Teaching obligations involve three courses per year. Fluency in Spanish for teaching purposes is highly valued, but candidates who express the willingness to perfect basic proficiency also may apply. Initial appointment is for a period of one year, and renewable on a permanent basis pending on academic evaluation at the end of the one year period. Applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to high-quality research and publication.

The Instituto de Ciencia Política offers undergraduate, M.A. and Ph.D. programs. It is the oldest department of Political Science in the country and is highly regarded in Latin America. The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile is one of the most prestigious higher education and research institutions in the region. It is located in the capital, Santiago, and seeks to consolidate itself as a University dedicated to the pursuit of academic excellence at an international level. It consistently admits a large proportion of the best Chilean students to its undergraduate and graduate programs, and receives hundreds of exchange students, as well as numerous visiting professors from all over the world every year. The Instituto is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty and thus strongly encourages women and minority applicants.

Send a letter of application, curriculum vitae, evidence of research and teaching potential (e.g., teaching evaluations and a writing sample), graduate transcripts, and three professional letters of recommendation by September 15th, 2010. Prof. Rodrigo Mardones, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Instituto de Ciencia Política, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile. Phone: 56 (2) 354-7815; Fax: 56 (2) 354-7813 E-mail: rmardonesz@uc.cl http://www.uc.cl/cienciapolitica; 12:26 PM, August 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: Is CMC a Straussian stronghold? I think that is fair characterization, but you have no idea what they are looking for. Maybe they want to branch out, as Notre Dame has done the last decade. Unless you can't afford to print the materials and send it off, I think it is always best to apply. If you are not a Straussian, the worst that can happen is that they don't hire you. The best is that the rumor is wrong and they are more open-minded than some suppose. Always worth a shot.; 2:46 PM, August 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: CMC is the home to that particularly virulent variety of Straussianism, the "West Coasters". Same, of course, with Claremont graduate school.

Still, those people are all old, so maybe the rest of the department, which is composed of regular scholars, might be using this hire to try and bring theory back. Everyone should apply, don't make it any easier for the Straussians to replicate themselves.; 5:32 PM, August 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: I've never understood the west coast/east coast straussian thing. Can someone explain the difference?; 8:03 PM, August 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: The story I heard is that back in the day Strauss would have an exit interview with each of his graduate students in which he would explain that although he'd been teaching them to believe in timeless wisdom, natural right, etc., now that they were going out into the world he could reveal that that was just for show, and that in reality God is dead, Nietzsche was right, etc. The West-coast Straussians are the ones that he didn't have the heart to break it to.; 2:40 AM, August 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: As Michael Zuckert summarizes it, Strauss believed three things that are hard to reconcile. America is good, modernity is bad, America is modern.

West Coast Straussians (Jaffa and his crew) reject the claim that America is modern. (I would ass: you can tell a west coast Straussian because he talks about Lincoln a lot.)

East Coast Straussians (Allan Bloom etc) reject the claim that America is good

Midwest Straussians (the Zuckerts, Diamond) believe that modernity is good.

It also seems to be the case that the east coast Straussians believe God and natural law to be noble lies, thatt Nietzsche was right, and so on. West coast Straussians believe in both, and believe that homosexuality violates natural law, so detested Bloom.; 7:29 AM, August 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: CMC is indeed a Straussian stronghold, although not necessarily of the West Coast variety (really, those distinctions are played out now; the West Coasters were always kind of an irrelevant side show that had more political aspirations than the East, but worse political connections. So they died out. There were never more than a couple of them anyway. Also, it was never really a matter if Strauss not breaking the truth to them so much as after Strauss died they decided that they didn't like his truths very much, but didn't want to come right out and say so.); 11:55 AM, August 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Related to ^, what about Christopher Newport?

What reason would there be to suspect CNU is Straussian? As best I can tell from their webpage, they don't presently have any first field theorists, let alone Straussians. Other than some language that suggests they might be looking in the direction of an historically inclined scholar, I see no Straussian buzzwords in the job at. Not sure what you're getting at.; 1:44 PM, August 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Re 1:08 am August 20th:
The CMC job was posted in other because it is listed as a political "philosophy" job rather than a political "theory" job. This may be parsing add too finely, but Straussians understand themselves to be practicing the true form of philosophy, and the language of the add suggests this job is not (openly, at least) some attempt to broaden the theory approaches used at CMC.; 2:36 PM, August 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Yes, you are definitely parsing the ad too finely. CMC may or may not be hell-bent on hiring another Straussian, but they're not going to indicate it by one word in the job ad.; 11:59 PM, August 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: If the one word is 'philosophy' rather than 'theory' then I don't think the close-reading is unwarranted...; 12:49 AM, August 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: oh please stop being so silly you morons; 2:05 AM, August 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: The CMC job must be a line that was canceled a couple of years ago due to lack of funds.; 3:04 AM, August 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: Anybody heard back from UConn or Goucher about interviewing at APSA?; 6:18 PM, August 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: Many years ago, I had a pre-interview interview for a job at CMC, in a hotel room in NYC. I must say that, in spite of all the strange experiences I have had over the years, that was probably the strangest. Those people were not just Straussian; they were nuts.; 9:40 PM, August 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: ok ok, we got it. don't apply to CMC, great thanks.

good luck with that, and let's move on.; 12:03 AM, August 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: Tenure Track Political Theory Opening at Christopher Newport University:

http://www.jackmillercenter.org/2010/08/christopher-newport-political-theory-position/; 7:19 AM, August 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: UMBC also used the word philosophy instead of theory. I don't think they are looking for a Straussian.

As for CMC, I don't know who is there now, but since no one knows what their intentions are today (as opposed to a NYC hotel room several years ago), it is worth the effort.; 10:26 AM, August 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: A "pre-interview interview" in someone's hotel room. What were the chance that would be weird?; 4:07 PM, August 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: There is a Straussian on the faculty at CMC, so they know one when they see one. That does not mean that they must hire a Straussian.; 1:25 AM, August 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: Has Hobart and William Smith scheduled APSA interviews yet?; 9:14 AM, August 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: don't think so. unless i didn't make the cut, either.; 10:40 AM, August 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: There isn't "a" Straussian on the faculty at CMC -- there are four. And how many non-Straussians are there?...
Good luck to any non-Straussians who apply.; 12:20 PM, August 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: thank you!; 2:45 PM, August 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: I'm also curious about whether Goucher has contacted APSA interviewees -- anyone, anyone?; 2:53 PM, August 26, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^Yes, they have.; 3:08 PM, August 26, 2010
Anonymous said...: Gracias!; 3:09 PM, August 26, 2010
Anonymous said...: All interview slots at APSA for theory jobs are reportedly full. Should one approach search committee members at APSA outside of job placement?; 11:03 PM, August 26, 2010
Anonymous said...: What pin them down after a panel or in the hotel bar and start waving your CV at them. Good god, please no! Most departments will give you a perfectly fair shake, whether or not you did an apsa interview. But desperately trying to get some facetime in an ordinary social setting is obvious, desperate, and much more likely to backfire than help (although it's unlikely to do either).; 8:36 AM, August 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: on the other hand, those who can flourish in bars will always flourish in bars.

but 98% of political theorists are social retards, and should stay in their hotel rooms playing video games; 10:09 AM, August 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: could whomever wrote that silly post about east coast straussians thinking modernity is bad, west coasters thinking america is not modern, etc., explain the following:
- james nichols is as much of an example of an 'east coast' straussian as you can find anywhere (he actually never studied with strauss directly, got his undergrad at yale with bloom and his ph.d. at cornell with bloom)
- yet somehow he manages to have tenure and all at claremont, and oh low and behold, he is the chair of the search committee for the claremont job

oh yes, and add to that list joseph bessette (student of tulis and cropsey), charles kesler (student of mansfield).

my point is that whomever provided that simplistic and idiotic explanation knows very little about what it actually means to be a straussian. first thing to know is that yes, straussians disagree, with each other and with their teacher. thats one of the things that makes them interesting. second thing to know is that no, strauss did not believe that modernity was "bad" - rather, modernity was defective, that is, it build a fairly strong and powerful building on a very weak foundation, and the job of political science was to try to strengthen that foundation since tearing down the building and starting from scratch was not a viable option. and where in the world can you find in the writings of allan bloom the idea that america is bad?! have you read a more powerful defense of american exceptionalism by anyone?! i sure have not. i did not know bloom, but i do know many of his students who have spent their lives expounding the greatness of america and defending it from foreign enemies, especially defeating the soviets, and they most certainly do not believe that america is 'bad'.

so please get a clue.

and no i am not on the market.; 12:06 PM, August 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: Bloom was a moron and Strauss was a charlatan.; 2:26 PM, August 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: *yawn*; 3:10 PM, August 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: The above poster is essentially attacking two west coast Straussians (Zuckerts) for not being west coast enough! Calumny! Calumny!; 3:10 PM, August 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: Are east or west coast Straussians averse to capitalization as some kind of esoteric writing?; 3:52 PM, August 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: Sounds like I need not apply to that Claremont job after all.; 3:58 PM, August 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: Straussians are interesting? who knew?; 5:53 PM, August 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: Hilarious - as pointed out, the geographical (west/east) argument about modernity/America, etc., comes from two of the leading Straussians in the US, the Zuckert's - indeed it is made in their "The Truth about Leo Strauss." Great job!; 3:38 PM, August 29, 2010
Anonymous said...: yawn; 4:14 PM, August 29, 2010
Anonymous said...: wonderful--let's never speak of east or west coast straussians again. and let's never mention how great the berkeley or chicago grads are doing this year, how lame top ranked department "x" really is, why we never list names of interviewees, etc.; 11:35 AM, August 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: well, that pretty much kills the page. what else is there?; 4:05 PM, August 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: new job ads?; 5:10 PM, August 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: Colleagues: FYI, I noticed that UCSD's ad in the chronicle indicated they were searching for "candidates whose work focuses on issues pertaining to diversity, such as race, ethnicity, gender, immigration, or global justice." I have no idea if they'd seriously consider a theorist working on these issues, but the language of the ad suggests they might. At any rate, if you fit at all, it can't hurt to apply.; 7:16 PM, August 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^How does global justice fit in with the interest in issues pertaining to diversity?; 7:27 PM, August 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ Well, the globe is damned diverse place. Lots of people (Miller, Walzer, etc) who don't have much time for global justice have long argued/speculated that too much diversity and multiculturalism and whatnot is potentially problematic for a robust commitment to social justice. There's a vigorous empirical literature on this as well, particularly regarding recent trends in Europe.

But I have no idea what UCSD means. I don't think the wording implies all these things must go together. It's just a list of potential topics they'd be interested in hiring in.; 10:02 PM, August 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: What is up with Wisconsin political theory? As far as I can tell, they have Avramenko, Downs, Kinsella, Klausen, Lindsey, Schweber, and Zumbrunnen. You'd think seven theorists is enough, but good for them!; 10:20 AM, August 31, 2010
Anonymous said...: Indeed, within striking distance of the top ten. If their search for a comparative political theorist proves successful, they will be re-established as a top-tier program IMO.; 11:32 AM, August 31, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^Why "comparative political theorist"? The job advertisement doesn't say that UW is seeking to hire such a theorist.; 11:36 AM, August 31, 2010
Anonymous said...: yes, wisconsin seems like a strong program to me too, except the lack of a 'superstar' senior scholar. but it seems like a good place for graduate study, though a quick look at the course offering this semester makes it look pretty bland...; 2:09 PM, August 31, 2010
Anonymous said...: Only Avramenko, Clausen, and Zambrunen are full time theorists. The other four are also in IR, law, and comparative. I'm not sure they would refer to themselves as theorists.

While the three are good, they are still a long way from the Riley, Yack, Smiley, Fowler, etc days.; 6:10 PM, August 31, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ Agreed. Zumbrunnen and Clausen are excellent scholars, but young and without big reputations. (Has Avramenko published anything?) I don't think I could recommend UW at this point in time as a place to study political theory: getting a job out of there would be pretty hard, at least until they get a marquee name.; 2:01 PM, September 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^agreed. would be a good place to land a job, though.; 3:21 PM, September 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ Is Avramenko still at UW? I thought he left for a DC school.; 3:27 PM, September 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: His PhD was from a DC school.; 7:14 AM, September 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: I think ^^ is referring to the rumour that Avramenko is heading up the Tocqueville forum at Georgetown next year.; 1:25 PM, September 02, 2010
Anonymous said...: APSA scuttlebutt anyone?; 1:31 AM, September 03, 2010
Anonymous said...: any information on the stanford search? or the barnard search?; 1:42 AM, September 03, 2010
Anonymous said...: Avramenko has been trying to get back to the DC area for years. I don't think he's particularly unhappy with the situation at Wisconsin, but he prefers to be in DC.; 8:38 AM, September 03, 2010
Anonymous said...: Public Higher Education Is 'Eroding From All Sides,' Warn Political Scientists
http://chronicle.com/article/Public-Higher-Education-Is/124292/; 9:43 AM, September 03, 2010
Anonymous said...: If you look at the comments section, you will find some for profit administrator selling his corrupt industry and tell traditional higher ed not to be so insecure.

These guys are a real problem. Not only do they exploit vulnerable populations by giving them worthless degrees at Ivy League prices,they also suck up 25% of federal financial aid--all to suppport 8 figure administrative salaries. This money should be going to real colleges with real students with real courses of study. It amounts to several billion dollars. This is one of the great government con jobs in recent memory.

As Steve Eisman put it, they are every bit as morally bankrupt and socially destructive as the sub-prime industry. First things first--we need get this money for our students and our institutions.

And, they we have to defend the liberal arts as good and necessary to both democracy and employers. We should be appealing to people from all over the politcial spectrum--we must reach out to everyone and alienate no one.; 11:23 AM, September 03, 2010
Anonymous said...: To head up the Tocqueville outfit, Deneen would have to be passing the baton. Avramenko's not going to take the Asst. Director job--below his pay grade, figuratively and probably literally, too. So is the rumor to do with Deneen leaving?; 12:12 PM, September 05, 2010
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 7:10 AM, September 06, 2010
Anonymous said...: University Lectureship in Political Theory, University of Oxford

Joint salary scale £42,563 - £57,201 per annum (plus College Housing Allowance, currently £6693.72 per annum)

The Department of Politics and International Relations, in association with Mansfield College, proposes to appoint a University Lecturer in Political Theory, including the study of ideologies and/or the history of political thought. This full-time post is available from 1st September 2011 (or as soon as possible thereafter), and will be held in conjunction with a Tutorial Fellowship at Mansfield College.

The main duties of the post will be to engage in advanced research in political theory; to deliver teaching at undergraduate and graduate level for the Department and the College; to supervise graduate students; and to contribute to the examining and admissions processes as necessary.

The successful candidate will hold a doctorate in political theory, and will have a strong record of research at an international level or the potential to develop one. The ability to deliver effective class and tutorial teaching to high-achieving and challenging students and supervision of graduate students for the Department and the College is essential. The post holder will require excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills. A record of success in securing research funding is also desirable.

The duties and skills required are described in more detail in the further particulars, which also contain details on how to apply. These are available from our website at www.politics.ox.ac.uk/about/vacancies or from the Personnel Officer (Email: vacancies@politics.ox.ac.uk, Tel: 01865 278706), Department of Politics and International Relations, Manor Road, Oxford OX1 3UQ. The closing date for applications is 12:00 noon on 12th October 2010. Please quote reference no: CT10010 on all correspondence and state where you saw this post advertised; 7:08 PM, September 07, 2010
Anonymous said...: Another "leadership" job, this time at Richmond.

Does anyone have any idea what this "leadership studies" fad is about? It seems like a bunch of self-help pseudo-academi BS to me, but I'm known for a being an old crank before my time.; 11:27 PM, September 07, 2010
Anonymous said...: The leadership stuff is about making it (theory in particular/ pols in general) seem credible/practical to private donors and/or legislators. What kind of jobs are our undergrads getting? In some circles, like those that have money and might be willing to cough it up, pragmatic questions such as these need a concrete answer and a curriculum that backs it up.; 11:47 PM, September 07, 2010
Anonymous said...: What questions? I honestly can't figure it out. What would a political theory class on 'leadership studies' look like? Machiavelli? Statecraft? What?; 12:03 AM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: It's obvious from the name of the college in the Oxford ad that you shouldn't apply unless you're a Straussian.; 1:58 AM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: That's absurd. There's no particularly Straussian code words. Furthermore, the Straussian disease is limited to North America--Oxford has no Straussian history.; 7:46 AM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^Oh my, how could you possibly not have known that ^^ was joking? [It was a funny joke too.] Did you think that the poster was honestly suggesting there is a Straussian code word in the ad? Wow.; 8:18 AM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: The Mansfield Oxford job will go to David Leopold.; 11:15 AM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: I thought he was already employed by Oxford.; 11:44 AM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^Looks like he's been employed on a temporary contract since 2004, while the new job ad is for a tenure track position.; 11:50 AM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^^^ This is by no means certain, though he would be a strong candidate.; 12:14 PM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: Open Position - Job Offer

Research Field: International Relations, Political Sociology, Political Theory

Key-words: International Institutions, Cosmopolitism and Communitarianism, Rising Powers, Global Governance

Leibniz-Institute: WZB Social Science Research Center Berlin (www.wzb.eu)

Position: Researcher

Department: Transnational Conflicts and International Institutions

Research Area: Research on one of the department’s key issues: the Causes and Effects of the Politicization of International Institutions; the Political Sociology of Cosmopolitism and Communitarianism; the Impact of Rising Powers on International Governance Structures. In addition to conducting research in at least one of these areas, this position will entail some coordinating activities for the department.

Specific Requirements: Excellent doctoral thesis in politics, social sciences, economics or law; excellent knowledge of the research area (international relations, political sociology and political theory); expertise in applying for and conducting third-party funded projects; ability to work independently and to do conceptual work; excellent oral and written language skills (English and German).

Work Place: Berlin, Germany

Start: 15 October 2010 (period: 3 years)

Language Skills: English and German

Further Information: Editha von Colberg, WZB Berlin, Phone: +49 (0)30-25491-281, Fax: +49 (0)30-25491-308, colberg@wzb.eu

********

Additional info: This position will be paid according to public service payscales. If you have the right qualifications (for TVöD 14, i.e., PhD in hand), pay can range from 42030.32 € (no work experience) to 59599.39 € per year (approx. $53,400 to $75,700). There are no teaching obligations, and the position is full-time (40hs/week).

The application deadline is September 15.; 12:34 PM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: "^^^ This is by no means certain, though he would be a strong candidate.
12:14 PM, September 08, 2010"
***

You heard it here first.; 2:05 PM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ wow, what a pointless comment.; 3:58 PM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^You don't look at this blog much, do you?; 4:25 PM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: So, Deneen is leaving G-Town?; 11:02 PM, September 08, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ No! Everything said about Deneen and Avramenko is totally false. And the Tocqueville Forum already has an Associate Director, so, whether Avramenko thinks it's below his paygrade or not, the position isn't available.; 8:02 AM, September 09, 2010
Anonymous said...: whoa, ease up on the facts there, bub.; 9:33 AM, September 09, 2010
Anonymous said...: Seriously. What kind of place do you think this is?; 12:02 PM, September 09, 2010
Anonymous said...: We cannot allow this blog to degenerate into gossip-mongering and pointless debates about whose grad program has the best placement record. This is the internet. It is going to rescue political discourse from the gutter.; 1:25 PM, September 09, 2010
Anonymous said...: Word!; 4:46 PM, September 09, 2010
Anonymous said...: By the way, the Theory/Comparative job at Barry University in Florida went to Leah Blumenfeld, who got her PhD at Florida International University.; 8:17 AM, September 10, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ Congrats to her. And another coffin in the nail of the "top 10 or bust" conventional wisdom.; 5:04 PM, September 11, 2010
Anonymous said...: the good old coffin in the nail. i wonder how that works.; 10:25 AM, September 12, 2010
Anonymous said...: some schools seem to have realized that "top 10 candidate" means "likely to leave."

this consideration should have been especially high in the thought processes of SC's last year, when the already small number of jobs seemed to lack the usual number of heavy hitting programs on top.

all that said, as social scientists we should be (should have been) wary of basing life plans on anecdotal evidence. i'd still give my right arm to be rubbing shoulders with the very nice folks at princeton (oo, i love me some princeton), instead of sitting here with the hoi polloi.; 3:57 PM, September 12, 2010
Anonymous said...: So is Goucher hiring because Nelly Lahoud was denied tenure? Or are they adding a second theorist to teach more 'traditional' theory classes so she can focus on Islam and comparative PT? Anyone know>; 9:39 AM, September 13, 2010
Anonymous said...: I don't know the particulars but Lahoud is not listed as teaching courses this term. It appears that they hired a VAP to teach them, at least this termand the VAP is Rachel Templer (Georgetown PhD).; 1:44 PM, September 13, 2010
Anonymous said...: isn't "the hoi polloi" redundant? Princeton at least teaches _that_.; 7:18 PM, September 13, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ thanks, Allan.; 7:42 PM, September 13, 2010
Anonymous said...: Dartmouth is hiring in political theory and international relations, in case you didn't know!; 11:37 PM, September 14, 2010
Anonymous said...: Actually, Dartmouth is hiring in political theory and international relations, whether you knew it or not.; 7:49 AM, September 15, 2010
Anonymous said...: Another job--St. Vincent's College.; 11:19 AM, September 15, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ They conducted the same search last year. Anybody know what happened? Internal problems? Was their offer(s) not accepted?; 11:22 AM, September 15, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^3 Very funny. In case you didn't know, "in case you didn't know" was a remark regarding what information the poster could provide people on this board. There was no implication that Dartmouth's hiring is conditional on what people here know or don't know. There was a comma before the clause, too, in case you didn't see it.; 11:39 AM, September 15, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^like; 5:37 PM, September 15, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^^ Wow. Do you ever go outside?; 10:14 PM, September 15, 2010
Anonymous said...: Dartmouth is hiring in political theory and international relations, in case you don't go outside!; 7:07 AM, September 16, 2010
Anonymous said...: But I was outside just now. Does that mean they're no longer hiring?; 5:35 PM, September 16, 2010
Anonymous said...: Does anyone know anything about the job at the University of Waterloo? I have only seen it listed on the CPSA web page and it specifies a start date on January 2011.; 11:13 AM, September 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: I think this guy named Boneparte was just denied tenure, so they opened a new line.; 11:25 AM, September 17, 2010
Steve Vanderheiden said...: Some readers of this board may be interested in a position at CU-Boulder that we have posted on eJobs (pasted below). We’re looking for a theorist or public law scholar that could teach a course on First Amendment issues (e.g., see my colleague David Mapel’s website for syllabi from his “Liberal Democracy and the First Amendment” course) along with other undergraduate theory courses, while temporarily directing the Keller Center. This is a reasonably well-supported temporary line, in an attractive and theory-friendly place, that comes with some opportunities for scholarly engagement that are not often found in such positions. Please feel free to contact either me or David with questions.

http://polsci.colorado.edu/
http://keller.colorado.edu/; 12:46 PM, September 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: The Keller Center for the Study of the First Amendment at the University of Colorado and the Political Science Department invite applicants for a three-semester visiting post-doctoral appointment, beginning January 2011. Teaching duties include an introductory undergraduate course each semester on the First Amendment, funded by the Keller Center, together with a second course on related issues in political theory or constitutional law, funded by other university sources. Endowed in 1993 by CU graduate Mr. LeRoy Keller, the Center is committed to encouraging inquiry into the historical, legal, and philosophical meanings of First Amendment rights and liberties and to providing the CU and wider Colorado communities with opportunities to learn about and participate in contemporary debates about free speech, press, association and religion. The successful candidate is expected to play a major role in Center activities, including inviting to the campus speakers on various First Amendment issues and organizing panels and a symposium or conference on First Amendment themes. Successful candidates must have a PhD in Political Science.

The University of Colorado at Boulder is committed to diversity and equality in education and employment. Members of underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications received by October 4, 2010 will receive priority consideration, though we will continue screening applications until the position is filled. Applications are accepted electronically at https://www.jobsatcu.com, posting #811260 and should include a letter of interest, along with a current CV, writing samples, evidence of teaching effectiveness, and three letters of recommendation. Please direct inquiries to Keller Center Search Committee, Department of Political Science, 333 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0333. See www.colorado.edu/ArtsSciences/Jobs/ for full job description.; 12:47 PM, September 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: Does anyone know what's going on at Goucher? Are they replacing Lahoud or adding another theory line?; 4:56 PM, September 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: we should know by april.; 8:18 PM, September 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: Just a rumor: Two theory positions coming up in Illinois. Depaul soon and Illinois State in a few months.; 9:06 PM, September 17, 2010
Anonymous said...: those of us who watched illinois state botch their search last year are beside ourselves.; 3:40 PM, September 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: Looks like the location of the posting of the Claremont McKenna position wasn't Straussian mindf**king after all!

Could it have been, *gasp* a clerical error?; 4:50 PM, September 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: yeah I didn't apply last year but I do remember noticing that illinois state had a theory search last year. does anyone know why it failed?; 4:56 PM, September 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^^ My sense is that there's a contingent in the department that's rather iffy about hiring a 'pure' theorist. Thus, when George what's-his-name who studies radical thought in LA and has a ridiculous CV turned them down, they fell apart. They couldn't agree on a second choice.

I'm surprised they got to keep the position, given the utterly dreadful financial situation in Illinois.; 5:00 PM, September 18, 2010
Anonymous said...: is nebraska looking for a theorist who can teach american or an american who can teach democratic theory? anyone know/have a clue?; 9:56 AM, September 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^The ad reads to me like they are less concerned with your research focus, and more concerned with what you're qualified to teach. This makes sense since it's a satellite campus. If you are comfortable teaching a couple of American government courses as well as normative political theory, then you probably have a good shot.; 10:22 AM, September 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: What's the Nebraska job?; 1:50 PM, September 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^I know this is a bit complicated, so I'll try and spell it out for you. Forum participants are referring to something called "the Nebraska job" as short-hand for the advertised tenure track position at the University of Nebraska.; 2:06 PM, September 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: No Nebraska job on the wiki. Sounds like you're having some fun with us.; 2:52 PM, September 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: I didnt see an University of Nebraska job related to theory or American.; 3:20 PM, September 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: University of Nebraska, Kearney. The post came up on Higher Ed Jobs:

http://www.higheredjobs.com/Faculty/details.cfm?JobCode=175464189; 3:20 PM, September 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^^^ as far as I know, there isn't a wiki up yet for 2010-2011.

^^ Learn to look in locations other than APSANET. Somewhere between 10-20% of jobs never get listed there.; 3:28 PM, September 19, 2010
Anonymous said...: 5:00 must mean ridiculous good... and pretending not to remember someone's name doesn't conceal your bitterness in the least; 6:26 PM, September 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ No, I absolutely did mean ridiculous good as in 'ridiculous amount accomplished before even finishing PhD.' Haven't read any of it, have no opinion on the quality. I more or less remember his last name but not how to spell it, so I just didn't want to butcher it (or bother to look it up). I'm lazy but I'm not bitter: good for him (but bad for Illinois state for apparently thinking he's the only one of us worth bothering with); 7:08 PM, September 20, 2010
Anonymous said...: So, you think St. Vincent is only going to hire a Straussian?; 11:51 AM, September 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: I can't predict the future. I can tell you that if you offered me 10-1 on hiring a non-Straussian, I wouldn't touch it.; 12:23 PM, September 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Without a wiki and with deadlines fast approaching, I thought it might be helpful to start a list of jobs. Feel free to add schools, interview information, etc.

Barnard College:

Goucher College:

Stanford University:

MIT:

Lafayette College:

St. Mary's College:

Loyola Marymount:

U Conn:

Dickinson College:

UMBC:

Susquehanna University:

Christopher Newport:

UW, Madison:

Toronto, Scarborough:

McMaster U:

Richmond:

Claremont McKenna:

Nebraska, Kearney:; 1:52 PM, September 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Hobart and William Smith

Boulder (post-doc); 2:19 PM, September 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Man oh Man, I applied to every single on of those jobs except Nebraska, and I apply to that job soon.

With all those applications, I am bound to get a job... right? right?

:(; 2:23 PM, September 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: St. Vincent

and UCSD, Dartmouth (although they are not pure theory jobs, many theorists will probably apply for them).; 5:56 PM, September 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: BY the way, Peter Stone got the Trinity College Dublin job from last year. He's spending the year in New Orleans before he goes though; 8:15 PM, September 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: Congrats to Peter Stone!; 8:30 PM, September 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 9:51 PM, September 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 10:07 PM, September 21, 2010
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 11:22 PM, September 21, 2010
administrator said...: Remember, if you want to alert me to something don't just post on the blog--email me at poltheorist@gmail.com; 12:20 AM, September 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: NYU Abu Dhabi hopes to hire in political theory.

Great students, small classes, a wealthy university, and occasional years in New York.

For someone out there, it should be a good position.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/education/21nyu.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&src=mv&adxnnlx=1284732076-mM2XjtSsPVGinQEFpaTi3Q; 7:56 AM, September 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ yep. sucks that you have to live in the gulf though.; 12:11 PM, September 22, 2010
Anonymous said...: Am mildly surprised (but very happy) to see an opening at UC-Davis--which I assume is a growth position, unless Scott and/or Taylor are leaving (and i don't think they are). Anyway, great opportunity for someone to have a couple of really outstandingly smart colleagues.; 10:54 AM, September 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: There are now searches at two schools in the University of California system--San Diego and Davis. But for someone who knows nothing more than what he hears in the news about the financial situation in California, the prospect of employment at a public university in the state seems terrifying.

Sure, a job is a job, but what do people make of this? Are San Diego and Davis important enough in the system so that they would be somewhat insulated from the financial horrors of the state? Or, is it better to run for the hills rather than take a public job in California?; 11:44 AM, September 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^Give me a break. Those are prestigious R1 jobs where your teaching responsibilities would be relatively light, and you would get grad student TAs and RAs to boot. I'd take that over a 4-4 SLAC in the middle of nowhere any day, even if my salary and annual raises would be less than at peer institutions because of state budget problems.; 2:47 PM, September 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: the question is moot.; 3:50 PM, September 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: Indeed.

http://www.maniacworld.com/question-is-moot.html; 3:52 PM, September 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: If you can handle your (effective) salary stagnating or going down a little, rather than going up over the next few years, it's still a great job in a great location. Just assume 5-10% less effective salary they offer. Still a great job, especially since Davis/Sacramento have a more manageable cost of living than LA/SD/SF.; 4:33 PM, September 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: who got the vap position at davis?

does she have the inside track?; 4:38 PM, September 23, 2010
Anonymous said...: Are there any pol. theorists at MIT at present? Any information on the sort of theorist they might be looking for?; 4:39 AM, September 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: All the tenured/tenure track theorists left MIT, I believe. I think they have a visiting person teaching courses. It'll be interesting to see who they hire. Perhaps previous people (Cohen, Song, etc.) provide some hint, but perhaps not.; 10:00 AM, September 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: Drew has a part time theory job--looks like Joe Romance left. Is he still in academe?; 11:15 AM, September 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: I want to ask those with experience on search committees: how much of a difference does a phone call on behalf of a candidate make, assuming the candidate has very strong letters? Have you ever hired people for whom no calls were made?; 1:02 PM, September 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: Lafayette College:

St. Mary's College:

Loyola Marymount:

Any word?; 1:35 PM, September 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: The one time I served on a search committee, I got a couple of these phone calls. Frankly, I found it weird, awkward, and inappropriate. If you've got something to say about a candidate, but it in your letter. I read the letters. I'm not going to give your student extra bonus points because were on a couple of panels together and went out to drinks once at a conference. I find it odd that anyone would assume otherwise.

If there's some pertinent information that for some reason can't be put in a letter of recommendation or there's some special circumstance regarding the file I suppose that a call would make sense--I did receive a call to the effect of "Don't hold it against candidate X that her advisor didn't send a letter b/c her advisor is in the hospital" which I appreciated. What I found weird and inappropriate were the "This guy really is as awesome as I say he is in my letter!" calls. I mean, I should hope so! And how am I supposed to read your letters when you don't call?

There's a good chance my cranky attitude is not widely held, though. Many people really like to feel like they're "in the loop" and important and these kind of calls might work with them. Personally, though, they strike me as unprofessional and unnecessary.; 1:41 PM, September 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: Agreed. I found it annoying, and became less in favor of the applicant. The caller had already written a detailed letter. We knew she was high on the candidate.; 2:14 PM, September 24, 2010
Anonymous said...: Doesn't this all depend on who is calling whom? E.g., say i have an exceptional student, one of those truly exceptional ones, and it just so happens that a school where a friend is a senior faculty member is doing a search. I would find in ludicrous not to call. On the other hand, caling someone i do not know, or don't know well, about a candidate that I am not as psyched about, seems to make less sense. My view is that there is no hard and fast rule about this, and the advisers/recommenders probably know best how to proceedl; 3:01 AM, September 25, 2010
Anonymous said...: I would find in ludicrous not to call.

Why? Why not make clear how exceptional the candidate is in your letter?

Seriously: I may be your friend, but I'm not going to give your student a leg up in a search because of it. Furthermore, if your student really is that good, they'll certainly get their stuff read by the committee--do you not trust me to figure it out myself? If you can't convey how exceptional this student is in your letter because you always use such hyperbolic praise that you can't distinguish her in prose, you need to change your letter writing strategy.

I'ver recieved these calls from good friends and casual acquaintences alike. Either way, it's a mild annoyance and it almost certainly won't help your candidate. At best, it just reiterates information already in the file. At worst, it reeks of exploiting our friendship.; 8:26 AM, September 25, 2010
Anonymous said...: 1:35--seriously? Those deadlines were last week!; 10:39 AM, September 25, 2010
Anonymous said...: I have had it happen now and then. I don't take offense at it; on one occasion the advisor wanted to emphasize that the candidate was particularly interested in the job (I teach at a non-traditional institution) and another time was an advisor I knew from grad school who said if you'd like more info, let her know; neither of their candidates got the job but the phone calls had nothing to do with it. What we have done is call letter-writers ourselves at times to dig a little deeper, which is common and thus I have received emails from advisors/letter-writers in advance saying that they would be happy to talk etc. I know when I was on the market I appreciated all the efforts my advisors put it in, so while I can't say a phone call will persuade me, you never know what you might learn, and I actually respect the effort to go the extra mile etc for a student. Of the issues I run into on search committees, this does not even register on the annoyance scale.; 2:10 PM, September 25, 2010
Anonymous said...: Though schools will sometimes contact candidates within a week or ten days of a deadline, it usually takes at least two weeks, and can often take as long as three. If you haven't heard anything after three weeks, it's best to assume you won't (though some places do take longer than that). In any case, the best thing you can do now is just try to put it all out of your head and get work done, go for a walk, etc.; 5:41 PM, September 25, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^ I think contact after three weeks is more common than you think. I've been contacted regarding interviews five times in the last three years, and four of them were at least a month after the deadline. In at least one case, it was because the first round of interviewees didn't pan out, but in some of the other cases it was because they clearly just didn't have their shit together. In the worst case it was late March for a job with a Nov. 1 application deadline.; 8:01 PM, September 25, 2010
Anonymous said...: Agreed. 3 weeks just doesn't mean anything. Schools move at different paces for all different kinds of reasons.; 8:45 AM, September 26, 2010
Jeanne Morefield said...: The Western Political Science Conference has extended its submission deadline until Sept. 30, 2010. The Conference will be held in San Antonio, April 21 - 23, 2011.

The Western is one of the best political theory venues in the country and this year there are a number of new theory sections. I encourage anyone interested to submit a proposal for either an individual paper or panel by the 30th.; 4:29 PM, September 26, 2010
Anonymous said...: wiki:

http://poliscijobs1011.wikia.com/wiki/Polisci_Job_10-11_Wiki

Just needs one of you youngin's with know-how to fill in the theory section . . .; 8:54 PM, September 26, 2010
Anonymous said...: Anyone know what's a "competitive salary" for a school like this?

Saint Vincent College is a Catholic, Benedictine liberal arts and sciences college of about 1700 students. ... Salary and benefits are competitive.; 9:03 AM, September 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: From the AAUP salary survey: average assistant salary is 52.5 thousand.; 10:18 AM, September 27, 2010
Anonymous said...: There is no hard and fast rule about the length of searches. Some committees move really fast and contact candidates within a few weeks. Others can take several months. It is not unusual for a an Oct. 15th deadline to wait until January to contact candidates. In the committees I have served on, once we figured out we weren't going to get folks in by Thanksgiving, we slowed itup. This is a marathon,not a sprint. Do not stress if you haven't heard anything.; 10:41 AM, September 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: /\ very kind of you to share that. thanks.; 12:12 PM, September 28, 2010
Anonymous said...: What happened with DePaul's theory search from 3 or 4 years ago? I remember it was terminated with no hire, could be wrong though. Any insight into whether this one holds a similar fate?; 11:11 AM, September 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^No specific insight. But given that the posting comes somewhat late in the game, it could mean that there was a question about funding that has been resolved in favor of a search.; 11:24 AM, September 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: LMU has made calls; 4:01 PM, September 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: ^Phone interviews or invites to flyouts?; 5:43 PM, September 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: re LMO:

Phone interviews; 10:13 PM, September 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: oops... I meant LMU; 10:14 PM, September 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: Are the phone interviews at LMU with people that they didn't meet with at APSA, or are they re-interviewing?; 11:07 PM, September 30, 2010
Anonymous said...: Lafayette said they expect to do on-campus interviews in the second half of October. No, that doesn't mean I got a call. I just asked.; 1:11 AM, October 01, 2010
Anonymous said...: lafayette: they'd better call me soon, then. my october is filling up.

lmu: phlgglph.; 10:04 AM, October 01, 2010

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Political theory and public law job market

8/06/2010

2010-11 Junior Theory Jobs Post #1

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