Political theory and public law job market: 2011-12 Junior Theory Jobs Post #1

7/31/2011

2011-12 Junior Theory Jobs Post #1

For: Discussion of all junior political theory jobs advertised in 2011-12.

Restrictions: Per house rules, please do not mention names in junior searches until an offer is made. Also, no requests for ads may be made in this thread. Such requests must be limited to the Wiki/job resources post.

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.

720 Comments:

administrator said...: For those who didn't read the post closely--no job ad requests here. You can make them in the Wiki/Other job resources post only.; 5:07 PM, July 31, 2011
Anonymous said...: With Johnston leaving, with South Florida be able to search to replace him?; 3:47 PM, August 01, 2011
Anonymous said...: Johnston is irreplaceable.; 2:40 PM, August 02, 2011
Anonymous said...: They've lost Carolyn DiPalma, Kennan Ferguson, and now Johnston in something like five years. I don't think they've hired anyone.; 4:00 PM, August 02, 2011
Anonymous said...: Delaware just posted a theory/law job, though the theory part is not open.; 7:54 PM, August 02, 2011
Anonymous said...: >Johnston is irreplaceable.

Never heard of him.; 10:07 AM, August 03, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^^ It's pretty open, actually, as long as you can contribute in Public Law as well. The listed sub-specialities aren't exhaustive, or necessary.; 10:19 AM, August 03, 2011
Anonymous said...: Re: "Never heard of him"

You can look Steven Johnston up rather easily, if you're curious.

He's written two very smart books.
I think his book on Rousseau is especially good and I go back to it pretty often for teaching.; 12:48 PM, August 03, 2011
Anonymous said...: The post "never heard of him" is the definition of aggressively ignorant.; 3:03 PM, August 03, 2011
Anonymous said...: Above two replies belong on the senior thread.; 6:08 PM, August 03, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^No-- see 10:07.; 6:09 PM, August 03, 2011
Anonymous said...: So, this year is looking pretty good so far...certainly better than the last two by a long shot...; 10:23 AM, August 04, 2011
Anonymous said...: i hope you mean the jobs and not the blog.; 10:51 AM, August 04, 2011
Anonymous said...: Where did Carolyn DiPalma go? She seems to be still listed as faculty in South Florida?; 2:21 AM, August 05, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^ She didn't go anywhere. Not sure why the earlier poster claimed otherwise.; 1:55 PM, August 05, 2011
Anonymous said...: Dear theorists depressed by the stock market's possible effect on the job market, maybe life ain't so bad:

http://offices.colgate.edu/hr/faculty.htm

Not yet on e-jobs, as far as I can tell.; 6:15 PM, August 08, 2011
Anonymous said...: FYI: The Malone job, categorized as "other", is a search for a political theorist. So, if you're amenable teaching con law and american, teaching a 4-4, providing a "statement of christian faith", and living in Canton, there's one more job out there.; 5:01 PM, August 11, 2011
Anonymous said...: Who got an acceptance/rejection for an APSA interview with Oberlin? Any point in applying in October if you were rejected, as they encourage? (I know there is a point, but I'm wondering how much this selection is indicative of their favorites - random, mostly random, half and half, not so random); 1:40 PM, August 14, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^No way of knowing how they determined who to interview, but their email mentioned about 4 requests per available slot. At that rate, I think not getting an APSA interview is no reason not to apply (as is the case everywhere, really).; 2:09 PM, August 14, 2011
Anonymous said...: ... because when they hire, they'll only have about 200 applications per available slot? so those of use who didn't make this cut are *sure* to be the running ...

i got that email, too. i'll still apply, but i don't see how getting dissed for the interview can be anything *but* a reflection of their assessment of my qualifications.

after all, surely they're not just giving out interviews on a first come basis, right?; 4:03 PM, August 14, 2011
Anonymous said...: after all, surely they're not just giving out interviews on a first come basis, right?

I have no idea, but it's not actually an uncommon strategy for APSA interviews. It's certainly well within the realm of possibiity.; 4:56 PM, August 14, 2011
Anonymous said...: Did anyone, who applied, get an Elon request for an interview at APSA?; 8:57 PM, August 14, 2011
Anonymous said...: On Elon: Yes, for request for interview.

Did anyone get rejections yet?; 9:17 PM, August 14, 2011
Anonymous said...: What's an Elon?; 10:43 PM, August 14, 2011
Anonymous said...: 10:43pm: Go phuck yourself, which i'm guessing in your case wouldn't be hard!; 12:57 AM, August 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: Re: APSA interviews. As someone who has been involved on both sides of the process, I can say that most often, the scheduling of the APSA interviews is *NOT* arranged by the actual search committee, but by a single faculty member (who may be on the committee, but may not -- sometimes it's the dept chair) assigned to the task. Obviously an initial APSA interview can help (or hurt) your case, but there is every reason to believe the review of the complete applications will be more thorough and involve more people than the decision about who gets an interview at APSA.; 3:20 PM, August 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: New job at Northern Illinois (not that it matters for about 90% of us); 4:28 PM, August 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: i think 90% is low.

good news for one of this year's JMC postdocs.; 4:45 PM, August 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: I too have been on both sides of this, and agree with 3:20.

In fact, I would be more inclined to suggest that the interviews can do more harm than good. Most people fail to distinguish themselves and may not get further consideration. If you get one, it can be a valuable experience even if you don't get a job. If you don't get an interview,don't worry about it. Put your hat in the ring anyways.

For the firt-timers to the market, know that hiring is not a rational process. The committees are run by people, all of whom have an agenda. The person who writes the ad for APSA and sets up the interviews may not get his/her way during the meetings. People who look good at first may not after some discussion and visa versa. Don't read into anything until you know for certain that you have not made the short list.; 5:25 PM, August 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: Is someone leaving NIU? It looks like they have a few theorists.; 10:08 AM, August 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: To add my two cents. I have been on a lot of search committees, and on all of them, there was a lot of disagreement, not only about which candidate we should hire, but much earlier, about what we wanted. To second a remark of 5:25, this is not a rational process--I would say, more accurately, not an entirely rational process. People are generally of good will, arguing for what they think is best for the pt program and department. But they frequently disagree. In response to people on these blogs who continually ask "what do search committees look for?" it's important to realize that all search committees are different, and members of any given committee often want different things.

This being said, there is no mystery about what it take to be in the ballpark for a good job. You need a good record: evidence of good potential as a scholar-- ideally publications--and the same with potential to be a good teacher.; 1:44 PM, August 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: Two new jobs for very conservative evangelical Christians have posted. At first I thought this was King's College, the CUNY campus, but it's actually THE King's College. Dinesh D'Souza is president.

http://www.higheredjobs.com/Faculty/details.cfm?JobCode=175548319&Title=Assistant%20Professor%20of%20Politics%20%28American%20Political%20Thought%2C%201607-1865%29

http://www.higheredjobs.com/Faculty/details.cfm?JobCode=175548325&Title=Assistant%20Professor%20of%20Politics%20%28American%20Political%20Thought%2C%201865-present%29; 4:03 PM, August 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: I have received two campus interviews and one offer from schools that turned me down for APSA interviews. In one case, it was the idiosyncratic (and superficial) reading of my CV by one faculty that lead to the denial; in the other, it was simply a scheduling issue. If you want the job, you'd be insane not to apply because you didn't secure an APSA interview.; 11:52 PM, August 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: i've been on the market for a few years, and i tell you, this particular (very reedy) dog whistle is getting old. i mean, who *doesn't* have "a commitment to political and economic liberty?"

so say what you really mean, already!

and is it me, or are there a hell of a lot more schools like this than you ever guessed? or, is it just a wave of funding that is skewing the openings in the past couple years?; 8:54 AM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: Are you really asking who doesn't? Marxists, feminists, postmodernists, race theorists, and those who focus on labor, colonialism, or structuralism. They don't.; 12:11 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: Of course Marxists (etc) value "economic and political liberty." They simply understand these values differently than do libertarians. Thus, for a Marxist, economic liberty outstrips a bare, formal freedom of contract; political liberty goes beyond the formal right to vote, etc. etc.; 12:32 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: ding ding ding, thank you 12:32.

what they really mean is: "a commitment to [our version of] political and economic liberty."

they've already stipulated you must be a serious bible thumper. why not just also stipulate you must be a conservative?

you can go ahead and apply, 12:11.; 1:42 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: Jesus was a socialist!; 2:24 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: be sure to put that in your statement of faith, 12:24.; 2:48 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^^^ couldn't you say the same thing in reverse about, say, a reference to "social justice" in a job ad? We all have our little dog whistles...; 3:22 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: what is "social justice" a dog whistle for, besides social justice?

who are you suggesting need not apply to those jobs?; 4:12 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: Well let's see, judging by the tone of these posts i'd say your brand of "scoial justice" might just frown on "Christians," "White Males," "Heterosexuals," etc. etc.

You really can't call or condone others "bible thumpers" and then be so unbelievably obtuse to argue that social justice isn't merely another code of exclusion?; 4:30 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^ well I take it that the phrase is taken to refer either to some theory of (re)distributive justice, or to the study of social movements, marginalized groups, etc. Someone who believes that, say, libertarianism is a theory -- in fact the correct theory -- of social justice need nor apply, just as someone who believes that Marxism is the correct theory of economic liberty need not apply to the job mentioned previously.

I actually think this is all pretty harmless, if kind of silly, at the semantic level, since we all pretty much know what the code words mean, and those who don't are out the cost of postage. It raises the further question of whether there ought to be implied or thinly veiled ideological criteria for certain jobs at all; i was just pointing out that those of us on the left don't exactly have clean hands either.; 4:40 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: "You really can't call or condone others "bible thumpers" and then be so unbelievably obtuse to argue that social justice isn't merely another code of exclusion?"

are you suggesting that bible thumpers are opposed to social justice?

because i'm not, and i doubt job listers are, either. seeking to exclude christians from your applicant pool would leave you with few applicants.

or, are you suggesting that my use of the term "bible thumpers" was dog whistle code for something else?

or, are you suggesting that i - or job listers - think white males cannot favor social justice? care to guess what's on my demographic scorecard?

i confess to being confused by your argument. but i suppose that fits, since i am "obtuse."

word verif: "fight."

rilly.; 4:47 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: sorry, never mind. sometimes i forget myself.

word verif: peobe; 5:21 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: judging by the tone of these posts i'd say your brand of "scoial justice" might just frown on "Christians,"

You can't possibly be as stupid as you're pretending to be, can you? Virtually every job with "social justice" rhetoric in the ad is going to be a Christian (usually Catholic) school. This concept made its way into academic life through Catholic social teaching. You have no idea what you're talking about.; 9:24 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: Right, I was confused by the whole "social justice" ranting as well, as I've only ever seen that phrase appear in ads from Catholic (usually Jesuit) universities.; 10:13 PM, August 17, 2011
Anonymous said...: Right, because "White Males, Heterosexuals, and Christians" are so marginalized. This attitude is crazy to me, as if these demographics are structurally under attack to the extent that they should attempt to legitimize their priveledged position in society AS IF it were under attack. Making a mockery of the actual theoretical tools used for actual liberatory political projects.; 11:02 AM, August 18, 2011
Anonymous said...: Well of course its crazy to you. You've been institutionalized to see things one way, with a nice neat split down the middle between "the good guys" and "the bad guys." You, and other idiots in academic garb like you have about as much intellectual range as the morons on the view. Catholic "social justice" is borrowed from the same liberation theology that Marxists employed. And by the way, Catholics aren't the bible thumpers you describe craphead, as they are overwhelmingly liberal in the United States. The bible thumpers you describe are the dreaded evangelicals whose voice had been shut out for so long by dimwits like you, screaming and ranting and shouting down anything you didn't agree with, that they were compelled to begin their own colleges and universities.; 1:55 PM, August 18, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^I don't think Marxists have ever been in the habit of employing theology, liberation or otherwise.; 2:07 PM, August 18, 2011
Anonymous said...: Ah yes, Marxism has no similarities whatsoever to religion, right? That's what you're trying to so smartly quip about. Hip don't make up for a lack of depth!; 2:38 PM, August 18, 2011
Anonymous said...: Admin -- is there any way for you to block obvious trolls?; 3:08 PM, August 18, 2011
Anonymous said...: 1:55, i am the "craphead"" to whom you seem to wish to direct your anger.

i, however, have already apologized, and i am not one of your recent interlocutors.

but keep it up. any post now, you'll have us all convinced.

word verif: gyper; 4:34 PM, August 18, 2011
Anonymous said...: >> that they were compelled to
>> begin their own colleges and
>> universities.

Yeah, like Harvard and Yale and Amherst and Williams.; 6:23 PM, August 18, 2011
Anonymous said...: Three weeks into the new job season and this blog already has me wishing for my own subfield to disappear from the face of the earth.; 7:55 PM, August 18, 2011
Anonymous said...: Amen; 11:14 PM, August 18, 2011
Anonymous said...: 1:55 is a bit too worked up, but surely we can all agree that practicing Christians are marginalized in academia? How often does Political Theory, for instance, publish articles on Christian political thought?; 11:41 PM, August 18, 2011
Anonymous said...: 11:41,

Your post makes very little sense to me. First of all: I have no idea what the first sentence and the second sentence of your vote have to do with each other. Many political theorists who work primarily on modern political thought tend to focus on thinkers who identify as Christian. Does that hurt them? Is the job market much better for, say, Hume and Rousseau scholars than it is for avowedly Christian thinkers such as Locke and Kant, for example?

Furthermore, why do you assume that political theorists who are practicing Christians are going to be writing on Christian political thought? I am a Christian, but my research and teaching do not immediately or directly reflect this, and I don't think that's particularly unusual. I've been in this profession for a while now, and I've never experienced any sort of discernable discrimination for it. Occasionally people accidently assume I'm not a Christian, which isn't really a big deal and certainly hasn't negatively impacted me in any way.

Has being a Christian negatively impacted the career of, say, Charles Taylor or Jean Bethke Elshtain? Anyone seriously making the case that being a Christian is a serious impediment to successful career is suffering from a serious addiction to victimization narratives.; 11:52 PM, August 18, 2011
Anonymous said...: Yeah, like Harvard and Yale and Amherst and Williams.

Evangelical institutions, one and all, right????

Please stop muddying the waters with drivel like this!!; 9:20 AM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: Admin -- is there any way for you to block obvious trolls?

Translation: I just want everyone to agree that these guys are good and those guys are bad. What's the big deal anyway!!!; 9:22 AM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: Three weeks into the new job season and this blog already has me wishing for my own subfield to disappear from the face of the earth.

"The battles are so fierce, because the stakes are so low!"; 9:24 AM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: but keep it up. any post now, you'll have us all convinced.

And you keep up doing what you do best: providing us the nice oversimplified progressive narrative that has been a disservice to our field for decades!; 9:27 AM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: I'm afraid you are missing the point. Being a Christian is not at issue. Being a vocal Christian, who feels the urgency to tie his beliefs to his research is! Who would stand a better chance of getting hired today: A Marxist who openly and proudly engages in critical race theory. Or a Christian fundamentalist who openly and proudly focuses positively on the Christian inspiration behind American politics? Each views the world from a privileged vantage yet one is acceptable and the other is politically incorrect!; 9:34 AM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: yes, but i suspect the correct answer is not the one you're fishing for.

look again at the job listings so far this year (or last, or the one before that), and then tell me you think christian-inspired theory is more a liability than marxism. i don't even track all the jobs, but a quick scan of my list for this season includes: BYU, TCU, NIU, Villanova, Elon (and probably Duke, S. Carolina, and Georgia). Those places range from the openly solicitous of Christian-inspired research to the likely sympathetic, up against ... what? Cornell? maybe Wisconsin,. as schools that would prefer a critical theorist (Marxist or otherwise)? then recall the past two years, where something like a third of the jobs were for straussians.

plus, your question neatly elides this (you have your point; i have mine): chances are, both research agendas are being pursued by christians.

weep not for jesus, my friend. he is doing just fine, as is his flock.; 10:30 AM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: I don't think any of the colleges or universities, with the exception of a few, are openly solicitous of one approach or the other; nonetheless, I do believe a marxist would be better tolerated at BYU or Villanova than a Christian theorist would be at Wisconsim or Cornell.; 11:44 AM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: I'm not a Christian, but do think open Christians do sometimes suffer discrimination in academia. Even as a proud agnostic, I think descriptive work on the role of Christianity in political theory and American politics is important and interesting. The only kind of "Christian academic work" I object to is that which works from a theistic assumption: that the world is enclosed in some grand intelligent design. Some Christian academics think it's an arbitrary bias to prefer an atheistic over a theistic assumption. But I think it's warranted simply because the theistic assumption is so large -- so epistemically presumptuous -- that it cannot help but be a way of stacking the philosophical decks. The atheistic assumption -- while large from a certain vantage point -- is preferable because it is weaker, presumes less positive knowledge (as opposed to, for lack of a better term, negative knowledge). And in academic work, the weaker assumption is to be preferred to the stronger. So while I think academics need to be vigilant against anti-Christian discrimination, vigilance against the theistic assumption in academic work is also justified.; 11:52 AM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: Did anyone else get a very cryptic email back from TCU concerning their request for an APSA interview?; 12:09 PM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^Wait, is that a question about a job?

Yes, when I emailed TCU my CV and asked for an APSA interview, they told me to send my full application and that they would schedule APSA interviews on the basis of the applications they received. I wouldn't call that cryptic, but it is pretty unusual, especially this far ahead of the deadline, but I guess they want the APSA process to actually contribute something to their shortlisting process. I obliged them and sent an application, but still haven't heard anything.; 12:21 PM, August 19, 2011
administrator said...: No, I don't have the power to block anyone. I'd also ask that if people want to continue a general conversation about different vantage points in political theory that they do it in the General Discussion area. Thanks.; 1:29 PM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 10:18 PM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: Junior theory jobs. Seriously.; 10:36 PM, August 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 2:09 AM, August 20, 2011
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 10:36 AM, August 20, 2011
Anonymous said...: I can haz job rumorz?; 11:27 AM, August 20, 2011
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 5:25 PM, August 20, 2011
Anonymous said...: "It seems to me the idea of equal individual dignity is inescapably Christian in origin."
Well there's a tautology for you...

Word Verification: ressesse

As is, the relevance of this blog for actual job rumors continues to ressesse.; 5:53 PM, August 20, 2011
administrator said...: Again, please carry these conversations on in the general discussion area.; 10:38 AM, August 21, 2011
Anonymous said...: Anyone have word from TCU on request for APSA interviews?; 12:23 PM, August 21, 2011
Anonymous said...: Well, since they insisted on full applications, I expect they'll be done reviewing them and ready to choose APSA interviewees ... sometime around Labor Day.; 2:26 PM, August 21, 2011
Anonymous said...: I've heard Portland is a great place, but what is environmental political theory?; 8:52 AM, August 22, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^ If you're actually confused, I suggest you peruse the recent conference programs for the Western, which has a robust environmental political theory section.

Perhaps, if you find the notion of EPT utterly mystifying, this may not be the job for you....; 9:33 AM, August 22, 2011
Anonymous said...: @ 12:23 8/21, I got an email from TCU today inviting me to interview at APSA.; 12:52 PM, August 22, 2011
Anonymous said...: anyone heard from colgate for APSA?; 1:42 PM, August 26, 2011
Anonymous said...: I heard from Colgate a day or two ago; 1:53 PM, August 26, 2011
Anonymous said...: They'd look at a theorist:

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
New Brunswick, NJ
RACE, ETHNICITY, AND POLITICS POSITION
Assistant Professor
The Department of Political Science at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Race, Ethnicity, and Politics to begin fall 2012. The position is open with respect to specialty and methodological approach. We are especially interested in receiving applications from candidates whose areas of research and teaching relate to racial and ethnic politics and American Political Institutions. PhD required in Political Science or related field. The Political Science department is very strongly committed to increasing the diversity of our faculty and welcomes applications from women and historically underrepresented populations. As one of 34 public US institutions that belong to the Association of American Universities, Rutgers is among the leading research universities in the US and Canada. Rutgers University is an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, with a historic commitment to diversity.
Applications should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a writing sample in the applicant’s central area of research, and three letters of recommendation to: race-ethnicity@polisci.rutgers.edu with the subject line of Search Committee, Race, Ethnicity, and Politics Position. Review of applications will begin on September 20, 2011 and will continue until the position is filled.
====================================; 3:08 PM, August 28, 2011
Anonymous said...: Anybody know if UCLA might actually consider a theorist?; 3:45 PM, August 28, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^ yes; 8:49 PM, August 28, 2011
Anonymous said...: What is the UCLA position?; 11:15 PM, August 29, 2011
Anonymous said...: junior faculty (field open) two positions; 11:26 PM, August 29, 2011
Anonymous said...: thank you. Can I ask what search terms you would use to access the job description on the APSA website? thanks!; 6:40 AM, August 30, 2011
Anonymous said...: Try "UCLA." Honestly...; 8:02 AM, August 30, 2011
Anonymous said...: Can't go wrong with crackerjack research skills like that...; 9:36 AM, August 30, 2011
Anonymous said...: UCLA has now posted specific job ads in each subfield for those who haven't figured out that it pays to search for "other" in the APSA job listing.

By the way, will APSA ever change the way it categorizes fields? We need an "All" category that automatically lists the job in all the subfields. We also need a "formal theory" category so that those jobs do not get posted under political theory.; 5:41 PM, August 30, 2011
Anonymous said...: Yes. And the whole APSA website needs overhauling. It seems to have been designed in 1962 when people didn't mind clicking 40 times to get to a frequently visited page (like, say, ejobs).; 8:11 PM, August 30, 2011
Anonymous said...: what's a "UCLA position?"; 8:32 PM, August 30, 2011
Anonymous said...: There's an interdisciplinary position teaching a course on 'civic engagement' that could be open to theorists at Florida Gulf Coast Uni. It's on higheredjobs.; 12:51 AM, August 31, 2011
Anonymous said...: Princeton has 14 theorists on the market this year!; 2:51 PM, August 31, 2011
Anonymous said...: Leave that discussion on the unruly, impolite, and all around toxic board, please.; 4:49 PM, August 31, 2011
Anonymous said...: Actually,it's more like 18 theorists from Princeton. Certainly, daunting competition, but this is where experience can be more important than pedigree. Brilliant theorists likely one and all but I bet more than a handful of them are at best social retards and at worst absolute flaming a-holes!

this kind of thing usually comes through to search committees and particularly for smaller LAC's and the like, will typically be enough to make 'em keep on looking.

So don't despair, unless of course you are a social retard/a-hole!!; 9:07 PM, August 31, 2011
Anonymous said...: Are the princeton candidates well published?; 10:11 PM, August 31, 2011
Anonymous said...: Do you know how to google?; 10:54 PM, August 31, 2011
Anonymous said...: Case in point: 10:54pm!!!; 8:58 AM, September 01, 2011
Anonymous said...: Goo goo g'joob!; 9:18 AM, September 01, 2011
Anonymous said...: 10:11 was just seeking to reassure the later rather rude respondents that there are many fish in the applicant sea and focusing on the Princeton pond might be misplaced. Best of luck on the market to you both.; 9:01 AM, September 02, 2011
Anonymous said...: Can we get some info of APSA interviews, which are in progress now?; 4:37 PM, September 02, 2011
Anonymous said...: yes, they suck the life out of you; 5:39 PM, September 02, 2011
Anonymous said...: new job (with embarrassingly silly job ad) posted for UW-La Crosse) on higheredjobs...; 2:05 PM, September 03, 2011
Anonymous said...: Wow...that ad really is silly. But a job's a job.; 9:32 PM, September 03, 2011
Anonymous said...: So what do you do at an interview when the interviewer is a total asshole? Those of you at APSA may know of whom I speak....; 7:24 PM, September 04, 2011
Anonymous said...: I'll ask again. Did someone leave NIU? Is Arnhart retiring? Or are they actually adding a fourth theorist?! Thank you.; 7:31 PM, September 04, 2011
Anonymous said...: 7:24, are you talking about Colgate?; 7:50 PM, September 04, 2011
Anonymous said...: maybe, maybe not. For example, how many people interviewed at Colgate? I wouldn't want to leave myself open for slander.; 11:11 PM, September 04, 2011
Anonymous said...: Actually, it would be libel if the asshole in question could demonstrate he/she is in fact not an asshole!; 8:59 AM, September 05, 2011
Anonymous said...: Pretty sure Ross Corbett is leaving NIU.; 1:07 PM, September 05, 2011
Anonymous said...: But where is said Corbett going?; 7:08 PM, September 05, 2011
Anonymous said...: Yes, where is Corbett headed? Inquiring minds want to know!; 11:28 PM, September 06, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^ and ^^

It really isn't any of your business. If Professor Corbett, or the University that hired him, wish to make this information public, they will do it in their own time. Until then, you are all free to email professor Corbett and ask him.; 12:16 AM, September 07, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^ don't forget this is a rumor board.; 10:29 AM, September 07, 2011
Anonymous said...: Corbett, who has Ph.D. students and is on the cusp of tenure, is not going anywhere.; 2:45 PM, September 07, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^Is that based on actual knowledge, or are you inferring that he couldn't possibly leave because he has students and is on the cusp on tenure? If the latter is the case, you need to work on your logic skills.; 5:08 PM, September 07, 2011
Anonymous said...: Brown Theory Project? Templeton funded? Corbett's going to Tufts!!!!; 10:28 PM, September 08, 2011
Anonymous said...: I got a request for more information from TCU.

(I did interview with them at APSA.); 11:19 AM, September 09, 2011
Anonymous said...: Could you specify what information they requested?; 11:30 AM, September 09, 2011
Anonymous said...: Yep. A writing sample and rec letters (which I had not included with my original ap).; 12:08 PM, September 09, 2011
Anonymous said...: the last three posts are probably the most civilized I've seen in all my years of coming here. What a bunch of nasty f-ed up trolls theorists are!!!; 5:37 PM, September 09, 2011
Anonymous said...: I'm particularly interested in the theory job at the University of Richmond in their School of Leadership Studies, because my research focuses on leadership/statesmanship etc. I'm coming from a somewhat conservative/Straussian department, and my scholarship reflects this to some extent, though I am neither conservative nor particularly concerned about carrying the Straussian torch for the rest of my career. If anyone knows about the ideological composition of that department and whether applying from a more conservative program would be a major liability, I would very much appreciate your advice. At this point, I plan to apply to any department that isn't at a religious school and/or requires a profession of faith. However, I don't want to waste too much effort on places that would not even consider a candidate from a largely Straussian graduate program. Are there any departments that it would not even be worth my while to apply to? Thanks.; 1:31 AM, September 10, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^Do you want a job? Then apply everywhere and put effort into every application. If you're at the stage of applying for jobs, you should be able to answer your own question about the Richmond department by looking at the profiles and publication records of the faculty there.; 9:19 AM, September 10, 2011
Anonymous said...: Rutgers has a postdoc opening: open to theorists. Would plan on funding being secured.
********************************
Presidential Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Rutgers University, Political Science: (**Pending Funding**)

The Department of Political Science at Rutgers University is seekingqualified Post-Doctoral candidates who can contribute through their research, teaching andservice to the diversity and excellence of the academic community. Requirements: Phd in Political Science or related field in hand by Fall of 2012; Stipend of 60K, with possible renewal for a second year. One course teaching each semester in your area of scholarship. Please send all inquires and a CV to the Chair at crd@rci.rutgers.edu. Review will begin immediately and will be ongoing until the position is filled.; 10:38 PM, September 10, 2011
Anonymous said...: U of Utah: Johnston starts spring 2012. U of U had made a previous offer, but candidate had to decline because spouse could not get an appointment in another department. U is working on building theory subfield. Information confirmed via internal.; 10:41 PM, September 10, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^That is partially false. The spouse is also a theorist and, actually, would have been a great asset for their theory program.; 11:39 PM, September 10, 2011
Anonymous said...: I can clarify the Utah endowed chair situation (even though this has nothing to do w/ junior jobs!)
10:41 correctly describes why the search was not successful in 2008-9 (inability to make spousal hire in another dept) and 11:39 correctly describes an event in the 2010-2011 search (inability to make spousal hire in Poli Sci). Both are correct, but they involve different candidates, 2 years apart. Successful hire of Steven Johnston was the final outcome.; 12:48 PM, September 11, 2011
Anonymous said...: 9/10 10:38 PM: Where did you find that Rutgers ad? I've looked in all the usual places and on their departmental and HR websites, and can't find any mention of it. Would you mind posting a link?; 7:18 PM, September 11, 2011
Anonymous said...: Go to Rutgers.edu and look it up- the fellows are for humanities and social science PhD's... Schools of Arts and Sciences. The info is reliable.; 10:33 PM, September 11, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^Have you actually tried to do that? The only relevant hit is an article from their News & Events page from a while back announcing 2010 fellows. I'm not sure where the above poster got that language from (maybe internal to Rutgers?), but it doesn't appear to be online just yet, as far as I can tell.

Also, this appears to be (or at least to have been in the past) a diversity fellowship, which doesn't come out in the above language.; 6:32 AM, September 12, 2011
Anonymous said...: The Presidential post-doc isn't a diversity postdoc (though that doesn't hurt). I didn't post it above, but I did get it through a Rutgers list-serve and I do know they would be interested in a theorist.; 12:15 PM, September 12, 2011
Anonymous said...: Any idea how long a research statement should be for a theory job?; 7:41 PM, September 13, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^ In my SC experience, 400-600 words. Longer is not better. SC members are busy and padding your research statement with fluff is a bad idea. What do you study? Why is it important? And, how do you see this research program unfolding (in terms of publications, expanding the program, making connections with other research, your contribution, grants, and so on).

Of course, others should weigh in, and your advisor should be giving you guidance here.; 9:27 PM, September 13, 2011
Anonymous said...: Thanks.; 9:37 PM, September 13, 2011
Anonymous said...: One page or less, single spaced...so in agreement with ^^.; 9:50 PM, September 13, 2011
Anonymous said...: button + johnston = decent theory department; 9:56 PM, September 13, 2011
Anonymous said...: Re: above statement. There is another political theorist at Univ of Utah: Ella Myers (works on contemporary democratic theory, book forthcoming on Duke); 11:32 AM, September 14, 2011
Anonymous said...: Right but if you're assessing the department, you should really discount untenured faculty.

I like Button and Johnson (and Myers) but I wouldn't send my students there.; 11:58 AM, September 14, 2011
Anonymous said...: i'm sure folks reading the prospective grad students thread would be very interested in that perspective.; 1:54 PM, September 14, 2011
Anonymous said...: Based on reading a few articles in the chronicle of higher education, I thought a research proposal was to be 2-3 pages, outlining not just a summary of your research goals and current achievements, but a paragraph on the contribution of your dissertation, a paragraph on your next project and its implications, and a final section on other research goals, and what you will accomplish.; 12:24 AM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: My problem is that my research statement reads a lot like my cover letter for R1s.; 12:25 AM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: One preliminary phone interview and that's it. Do I still have a chance at a flyout with the schools that didn't call or schedule an APSA interview or have the departments pretty much narrowed the field between APSA and phone interviews?; 3:56 PM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^For you and for others who will begin to get anxious soon, I think the following is good to remember: don't think about it until October, don't worry about it until November, don't freak out until December, and don't lose hope until the new year. SC members are busy; start of the school year and all! Even APSA-interview schools might sit on the search until they can schcedule meetings to discuss long short lists, and this may not be until October. I suspect most departments have not narrowed the field at all.; 4:43 PM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^^Who is doing phone interviews already? The earliest deadlines were today!; 5:03 PM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: consider your chain yanked.; 6:04 PM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: Is it considered bad form to have thought about hunting down and killing all other applicants for a particular job. Just wondering.

Sincerely,

Torn; 6:05 PM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: I hear TCU is doing phone interviews.; 6:07 PM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^Do you know if they are calling people they did APSA interviews with, or just feeling out other candidates?; 6:15 PM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: Probably just feeling out, and if they're cute enough, feeling up other candidates. Some schools apparently, and reassuredly, don't expect people to be attending APSA every year, whether funded or not.; 8:47 PM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: Actually even giving up in the new year is premature -- back in the day I had a couple of TT interviews in Jan-Feb, and the VAP market doesn't start heating up until around then. Unfortunately it's a long process, and although hope does start declining monotonically starting in mid-October or so, there's not some magic day when it's officially over.; 9:08 PM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^ Yeah, a few years ago I got three interviews, for one year VAP, 3 year VAP, and a TT job--all in April. Not a bite before that. Basically, being on the market is a year round job, with a little time off in June and July.; 9:11 PM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: TCU is working off a short list.

I don't know how this relates to APSA interviews. I only know that someone in my department is interviewing.; 9:27 PM, September 15, 2011
Anonymous said...: For my tenure track job, which I still have these many years later, I was called in late April. It is true that their first choice had turned them down, but such things happen all the time.; 8:40 AM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: 9.27, The TCU deadline was yesterday and you're suggesting that they have already set up interviews. I've been a professor for ten years now and have never heard of such a thing. That doesn't mean that it hasn't happened, but it does seem rather odd.; 10:33 AM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: 10:33: If you read the content of TCU's job announcement it says the following:

"We will review applications on receipt and begin formulating our short list on September 15, 2011"

You may not believe me. But I know with certainty that a grad student from my department is being interviewed.

It's fast. But I've been told that some schools move fast to beat the schools that wait to talent.; 10:58 AM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: I called TCU yesterday to check on my reference letters and the person to whom I spoke told me that they haven't even started the review process. This is of course from the 'Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics' category.; 10:59 AM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: 10.58, Does 'being interviewed' mean being flown into FW for a campus chat or does it mean that the person in question is having a phone interview? If the latter, did the person in question speak with them at APSA or not? It just seems incredibly early for TCU to be bringing people to campus, but, as you suggest, they may just want to get things done.; 11:10 AM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: 11:10, It's a phone interview. Not sure if the person made it to APSA or not.; 11:56 AM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^This makes the whole claim seem much less outlandish. Sounds like they are still in the process of forming a shortlist that they announced would begin yesterday.; 11:59 AM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: I applied to TCU and was emailed about an APSA interview. I was unable to attend APSA, however, and communicated that I hoped that this wouldn't jeopardize my candidacy.

The TCU point of contact responded that it wouldn't, and that they might do phone interviews after the conference. I haven't heard from them, but my suspicion is that they are figuring out from their pool who they didn't get to talk to at APSA (but would have liked to talk to) and phone interviewing those candidates. This would presumably be preliminary to getting down to any legit short list.; 2:12 PM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: TCU offer extended and accepted.; 5:56 PM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: TCU offer now rejected; 5:57 PM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: TCU: extended...oops, rejected again.; 5:58 PM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: TCU search cancelled!; 5:58 PM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: TCU search accepted, ah, rejected. Offer cancelled.; 5:59 PM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: any source of info for jobs related to Race, Ethnicity and Politics?

like the Rutgers job, which might include theorists as well

website/etc?; 8:50 PM, September 16, 2011
Anonymous said...: Anyone know anything about the Middlebury political philosophy search? Is this a term replacement or is someone retiring and its a trial run, with either a future search planned for tenure track or a conversion from visiting to tenure track?; 3:52 PM, September 19, 2011
Anonymous said...: Have a heart before responding and think about all the candidates who are likely never going to receive a call: has anyone received a call yet for a fly-in interview? Your silence will be negative confirmation.; 12:23 PM, September 20, 2011
Anonymous said...: i'm not sure i understood the instructions.

was i supposed to respond if i have an interview or if not? or was i not supposed to respond at all? oops.; 2:06 PM, September 20, 2011
Anonymous said...: ps - it's september 20.; 2:06 PM, September 20, 2011
Anonymous said...: At the risk of having the question deleted again, though I have no idea why: does anyone have advice on whether it's worth using the apsa CV-uploading service? Any experience using it? Does anyone on search committees use that part of ejobs?; 9:13 PM, September 20, 2011
Anonymous said...: Administrator: please delete previous email. It's inappropriate and offensive!!; 9:40 PM, September 20, 2011
Anonymous said...: Calls are out for Elon.; 5:48 PM, September 21, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^Erm, nope. Are you a troll from the other board, or did you read this on the other board and actually believe it?; 5:53 PM, September 21, 2011
Anonymous said...: Someone please put this board out of its misery.; 2:28 AM, September 23, 2011
Anonymous said...: or save a step and just kill me.; 10:13 AM, September 23, 2011
Anonymous said...: Any TCU updates? Duke (given 9/1 deadline)?; 2:53 PM, September 23, 2011
Anonymous said...: duke's deadline was not 9/1.; 4:01 PM, September 23, 2011
Anonymous said...: Have the Emory dogs let slipped on a Straussian hunt? Glancing at their faculty, Owen seems a pretty clear one but Klehr's case is more ambiguous.; 4:01 PM, September 26, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^?; 4:09 PM, September 26, 2011
Anonymous said...: When will Emory hire to replace Bartlett?; 10:54 PM, September 26, 2011
Anonymous said...: as soon as you post that question in the right forum, i'm sure they'll get right on it.; 2:07 PM, September 27, 2011
Anonymous said...: Did anyone who applied to the Elon job receive confirmation that their materials were received? Just curious.; 9:21 AM, September 28, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^I received a short, pro forma acknowledgment email.; 9:46 AM, September 28, 2011
Anonymous said...: 9:46: Did you use a portfolio service or send the app yourself?; 10:17 AM, September 28, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^I emailed it myself.; 10:18 AM, September 28, 2011
Anonymous said...: Global Justice job, open rank, just posted at UCSD

http://polisci.ucsd.edu/faculty/employment.html; 3:32 AM, September 29, 2011
Anonymous said...: I've just noticed that Hiram College is doing a theory search. Didn't they do one last year? Did the search fail? Does anyone know what the story is?; 1:23 PM, September 29, 2011
Anonymous said...: Heard that Cornell is already moving. True?; 3:06 PM, September 29, 2011
Anonymous said...: That Hiram webpage is a nightmare. I can't even find a list of the polisci faculty.; 3:27 PM, September 29, 2011
Anonymous said...: So has anyone who used Interfolio gotten a confirmation from Elon? And has anyone gotten a confirmation from NIU?; 5:24 PM, September 29, 2011
Anonymous said...: ^You must be new to this. It's not uncommon to not get any confirmation at all.; 6:38 PM, September 29, 2011
Anonymous said...: I used email for Elon and have not received a conformation.

NIU went by post and I would not expect a confirmation.

(The poster above is correct--usually there is no acknowledgement of receipt. You just send in your stuff and 6 months later the wiki reflects that someone got the job. It's kind of how this goes.); 7:19 PM, September 29, 2011
Anonymous said...: "That Hiram webpage is a nightmare. I can't even find a list of the polisci faculty."

Just google "hiram college political science". That's usually easier than going through university webpages anyway.; 8:33 PM, September 29, 2011
Anonymous said...: Thanks for the UCSD listing, wouldn't have caught it otherwise, I don't think.; 11:51 PM, September 29, 2011
Anonymous said...: any news on cornell?; 2:56 AM, September 30, 2011

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Political theory and public law job market

7/31/2011

2011-12 Junior Theory Jobs Post #1

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