Skip to main content

Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science (Political Theory)

Employer
Swarthmore College
Location
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
View more categoriesView less categories

Job Details

Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science (Political Theory)
Location: Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Open Date: Jan 29, 2025
DescriptionThe Department of Political Science at Swarthmore College invites applications for a three year Visiting Assistant Professor position in Political Theory to begin in the fall semester of 2025. The successful candidate will have a PhD in political science in hand by August 2025. The area of specialization within Political Theory is open.

The Department of Political Science provides students with a rigorous education that spans all four traditional subfields of the discipline. The Department consists of nine tenure-line faculty members and three visiting faculty members (including this position).  Visiting faculty teach the same 2-2 course load as tenure-track faculty, are provided mentoring and professional development opportunities, and are eligible for funds to support research, conference travel, and student summer research. The salary is highly competitive.


Located in the suburbs of Philadelphia and near Wilmington DE, Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to diversity, and actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Applicants from traditionally underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information on Faculty Diversity and Excellence at Swarthmore, see: Information for Faculty Candidates.

QualificationsApplicants must have completed or expect to complete a Ph.D. in Political Science by August 2025.

The strongest candidates will be expected to demonstrate an active research program and a commitment to creative and excellent teaching that speaks to and motivates undergraduates from diverse backgrounds.

Application InstructionsCandidates must demonstrate excellence in undergraduate teaching as well as an active research profile. Applicants should include:

 

A cover letter describing the applicant’s research agenda, teaching philosophy, courses previously taught, potential courses for Swarthmore, and their experience of (and/or plans for) creating an inclusive environment for students. 

A curriculum vitae.

A sample of the candidate’s research, such as an article, book chapter, or dissertation chapter.

A sample syllabus for a course in Political Theory that you might teach at Swarthmore.

A graduate school transcript.

Three letters of recommendation (at least one letter should specifically comment on the candidate’s teaching).

 

Apply at: http://apply.interfolio.com/162537. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled; all applications submitted by February 21, 2025 will receive full consideration. Selected applicants will be invited for interviews.

Please address any questions you may have to Christina Dahl, Political Science Department at cdahl1@swarthmore.edu.

Organization

Swarthmore College, a highly selective college of liberal arts and engineering, has supported thinkers and doers for more than 150 years. Since 1864, it has lifted students to their full intellectual and personal potential so they can apply their knowledge with meaning and purpose.Swarthmore college main

Located 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, Swarthmore has been co-educational since its founding by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Our Quaker founders believed in the practical application of knowledge for the common good. While Swarthmore is no longer a religious institution, these Quaker roots anchor and inform how Swatties learn and work. 

The College offers two degrees: the B.A. in the arts and sciences and the B.S. in engineering. With a student/faculty ratio of 8:1, Swarthmore ensures that its students have close and meaningful contact with their professors.

Swarthmore’s alumni body is small (about 20,000 living alumni) but distinguished. Five Swarthmore graduates have won the Nobel Prize; Swarthmore is also among the top five highest producers of doctorate recipients in the humanities, life sciences, and all sciences combined, with 20 percent of Swarthmore graduates going on to earn a doctorate degree. Some prominent Swarthmore alumni are acclaimed artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby ‘04, novelist Jonathan Franzen ’81, Ashesi University founder Patrick Awuah ’89, Chris Van Hollen ’83, U.S. Senator from Maryland, fashion designer Joseph Altuzarra ’05, and noted sociologist Sarah Lawrence-Lightfoot '66.Swarthmore college main

As of June 30, 2016, the College has an endowment of approximately $1.7 billion. Swarthmore's robust financial aid program ensures the College’s commitment to providing access to an exceptional liberal arts education for all qualified students without regard to their ability to pay and allows the College to meet each admitted student's demonstrated financial need. With one of the most generous financial aid programs in the country, Swarthmore awards aid -- without loans -- to more than half of its students.

True to its Quaker heritage, Swarthmore maintains a commitment to service and the common good. Students find support for service projects through the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility and in the nearby communities of Chester and Philadelphia and around the world. In addition, Swarthmore is one of 10 charter members of Project Pericles, which supports students who propose and implement projects to identify issues and advance solutions.

Swarthmore's residential campus features more than 425 wooded acres, including rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails which are maintained by staff horticulturists as the nationally registered Scott Arboretum.

Swarthmore College, a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, has supported thinkers and doers for more than 150 years. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to excellence through diversity in its educational program and employment practices and actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world.

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert