Open-rank Professor in Comparative Politics

The Department of Politics and Public Affairs (PPA) at Denison University invites applications for an open rank, tenure-track position in comparative politics, beginning Fall 2025. We seek applicants whose research and teaching emphasizes constitutionalism, policy analysis, or how social movements interact with either, with a geographic focus on the politics of countries or regions beyond the United States or Western Europe. The successful candidate must have the demonstrated ability to teach introductory courses in comparative politics of democracies, as well as interest and ability to teach a rotating set of upper division courses in comparative politics broadly and in their areas of expertise.

The Politics and Public Affairs program provides our students an integrated view of politics emphasizing links between theory and practice. Our major is structured as a learning community where undergraduates pursue a track of interest that aligns with traditional subfields and have multiple opportunities to share their knowledge with peers. Our majors must complement classroom experiences with a department-approved off campus learning component. We seek a new colleague who shares our enthusiasm for this approach to teaching about politics and public affairs. As a department, we work hard to ensure our students hear and consider diverse perspectives and we welcome applicants who contribute to that diversity. In the fall of 2025, our faculty includes four full-time tenured or tenure track faculty and one long-term visiting faculty member. We graduate roughly 30 seniors each year.

All instructors are expected to regularly teach introductory classes (typically around 24 students) that serve PPA majors/minors as well as the general education requirements of the college's curriculum; successfully teaching introductory classes requires teachers who relish the challenge of tailoring instruction for both the skeptical and the interested student. All instructors regularly teach upper division classes (typically capped at 20 students) in their area of interest which are usually populated by PPA or related majors, as well as required PPA major courses such as sophomore and senior seminar. The teaching load is 5 courses per academic year (3/2). Denison is a fully residential campus and all classes are held in-person and on-campus.

Applicants should provide evidence of teaching effectiveness from college-level courses. We seek to hire a new colleague with broad training in the study of politics. The successful candidate is expected to have significant interest in and demonstrated ability to be effective at undergraduate teaching in a liberal arts setting, and in contributing to the integration of the theoretical with experiential elements of our major. Independent teaching experience (beyond TA) is preferred.

Successful candidates are expected to maintain an ongoing research agenda; thus, applicants should show promise of a strong publication record. The prospective teacher-scholar also will support the University's commitment to liberal arts education, be an effective advisor to a range of students, be an active participant in departmental and university governance, and develop a program of research leading to peer-reviewed publication.

Denison is an increasingly diverse, highly selective, residential liberal arts college enrolling approximately 2,300 students from across the nation and around the world. The college is located in the village of Granville, 30 minutes from Columbus, Ohio, the state capital, which hosts a wide range of cultural and artistic opportunities. Granville offers an excellent public school system and easy access to outdoor activities. Denison is committed to attracting and supporting an academically and culturally diverse faculty and is committed to providing a work and learning environment free from discrimination. A supportive environment for teacher-scholars who value both classroom and research excellence, Denison offers extensive support for its faculty, including start-up research funds, an annual professional development account, competitive professional development funding, and a one-semester research leave after a successful pre-tenure review. The college also offers opportunities for student-faculty research collaboration, stipends for supervising summer-research students, and a range of workshops and mentoring programs to develop our strengths as teacher-scholars. Denison offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including tuition benefits to attend Denison or other affiliated colleges and a generous retirement contribution.

Candidates are required to have completed a Ph.D. in Political Science or closely-related field by start date.

To ensure full consideration, completed applications must be received by October 7, 2024. Applications should include the following:

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Graduate level transcript [official or unofficial]
• Teaching Portfolio, which should include a 1) teaching statement that lays out the candidate's teaching philosophy, interests, and experience; the teaching statement should also describe how the candidate fosters an inclusive classroom where students with diverse perspectives and experiences can respectfully contribute and learn, 2) Evidence of teaching effectiveness (e.g., teaching evaluations or other artifacts), 3) an introductory syllabus for comparative politics of democracies, and 4) an upper division syllabus that reflects your expertise.
• Research Statement that lays out the candidate's scholarly interests and plans
• A writing sample
• Contact information for three letters of reference