University of New Mexico Seeking to Hire Assistant Professor in Race and Communication

Assistant Professor of Race and Communication
(African American Studies and African Diaspora Studies)

The University of New Mexico’s Department of Communication & Journalism, housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, invites applications for a Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Race and Communication effective August 1, 2023. The department seeks a scholar-teacher whose research and pedagogy centers African American Studies and African Diaspora Studies as the analytical framework for the study of Race and Communication.

The successful candidate will have an outstanding research record or the promise of such a record in Race and Communication with a focus on African American Studies and African Diasporic Studies that complements and expands the research expertise of the department’s faculty. Areas of research could include but are not limited to:  

• Social Movements, Activism, and Community Organizing (e.g., Black Lives Matter)
• Discrimination, Targeting, and/or Tokenism
• Afrofuturism or Afropessimism
• The Prison-Industrial Complex and Criminal Justice Reform
• Queer and/or Trans* of Color Critique
• Women of Color Feminism
• Media Representations, Celebrity, Sports, or Influencer Culture
• Digital Practices, Algorithms, and Racial Literacy
• Mixed-Race and Multiracial Identity
• Disability Studies
• Body Images, Aesthetics, and Well-beings
• Indigeneity and Decolonization
• Migration and Settler Colonialism
• Spatial Justice and Environments
• Racial Stratifications in/across Afro-Latinx, Afro-Indigenous, Afro-Latin American and Afro-Caribbean Cultures
• Affect, Desire, or Relationality
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in/across Health Practices or Organizations

The Communication & Journalism Department offers undergraduate majors in Communication, Multimedia Journalism, and Strategic Communication. The MA degree is a general Communication degree. The Ph.D. program features the study of Culture and Communication applied to three areas of emphasis: Critical Intercultural Studies, Health Communication and Culture, and Media Studies. The program’s approach to Culture and Communication is based on the understanding that culture is socially constructed and structurally produced and, therefore, a factor that is influential across all communication contexts. Hence, the successful candidate is expected to contribute to one or more of our emphases in the Ph.D. program in Culture and Communication and to collaborate with departments and programs such as Africana Studies and the Institute of Race and Social Justice.

Faculty members in this position typically teach two courses per semester at the graduate, advanced undergraduate, and introductory undergraduate levels, with the possibility to teach in their areas of specialization; advise graduate students (M.A. and Ph.D.); maintain an active scholarly research/creative activities agenda related to Race and Communication (African American Studies and African Diaspora Studies); and perform departmental, university, or disciplinary service. 

The University of New Mexico (UNM) is the premier research university in the state of New Mexico, as well as a Carnegie R1 Highest Research Activity Institution and a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution and Minority Serving Institution. The Department of Communication and Journalism is partnering with ADVANCE at UNM (https://advance.unm.edu), an NSF Institutional Transformation grant, to help recruit and retain an excellent and diverse faculty.

UNM is located in Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico. Albuquerque is an ethnically diverse metropolitan area of over a half million residents that has been listed as one of the best small cities in the U.S. by National Geographic Traveler. The city has a rich culture and a location offering unparalleled opportunities for outdoor adventure. The University is located within one hour of Santa Fe, three hours of Taos, and within minutes of the Sandia and Manzano mountain ranges, which offer great opportunities for hiking, biking, rock climbing, skiing, and other outdoor activities. For more information, see https://advance.unm.edu/why-abq/. 

UNM is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educator and recognizes that a diverse faculty benefits and enriches the educational experiences of the entire campus and greater community. This institution offers benefits to same-sex and to different sex domestic partners. This institution offers benefits to spouses.

Minimum Qualification:  Doctorate in Communication or closely related field, completed by August 1, 2023.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Publications and research agenda in Race and Communication (African American Studies and African Diaspora Studies)
• Demonstrated excellence in university level teaching, with experience in the area of Race and Communication (African American Studies and African Diasporic Studies)
• Demonstrated ability to teach the first year Ph.D. required courses (i.e., CJ 600-History and Philosophy of Communication, and CJ 602-Theorizing Culture and Communication)
• Record of active scholarly involvement in professional communication associations
• Demonstrated departmental, institutional, or disciplinary service
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student success, as well as working with broadly diverse communities

Only applications submitted through the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job advertisement on a 3rd party site, please visit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Applicants who are appointed to a UNM faculty position are required to provide an official certification of successful completion of all degree requirements prior to their initial employment with UNM.

The University of New Mexico has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine requirement for UNM students and employees. For detailed information, visit https://bringbackthepack.unm.edu/vaccine/vaccine-requirement.html

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.