Assistant or Associate Professor

The School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL) seeks to appoint a tenure track Assistant Professor or a tenured Associate Professor to begin [on or after] July 1, 2024. We have a special interest in applicants with backgrounds in the liberal arts and humanities, social sciences, natural science and its historical roots and epistemology, civics and politics, and rhetoric and dialectic (especially discourse and classical texts). We are especially interested in applicants with experience in teaching undergraduate courses focused on productive dialogue and debate in the context of political polarization, and courses that guide students through the best that has been thought and said about fundamental questions of value, meaning, and purpose. SCiLL is an interdisciplinary school, so the ideal candidate will be able to teach across traditional boundaries between disciplines.

As the acronym conveys, the emphasis of SCiLL is on building and rehearsing the foundational skills, knowledge, and capacities required for healthy civic life. To that end, successful candidates are expected to participate in the work of the SCiLL as a whole, including the Program for Public Discourse (PPD), a program formed in 2019 and housed in SCiLL. The mission of SCiLL and PPD lies at the heart of higher education and is reiterated in Carolina's strategic framework, Carolina Next: Innovations for the Public Good, and in the strategic plan of the College of Arts & Sciences.

As the largest unit on campus, the College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of the Carolina experience. The College consists of 43 academic departments and curricula and numerous programs, centers and institutes. It is home to more than 18,000 undergraduate students, including all of the University's first-year and second-year students. About 2,300 graduate students study and teach in the College.

Endorsed by the Board of Trustees on January 30, 2020, Carolina Next: Innovations for the Public Good, the strategic plan for the University includes Initiative 5, 'Promote Democracy.' Objective 5.2 is to 'work constructively across differences in society, starting by promoting respect and listening.' Here several strategic opportunities are listed to support the goal of 'build[ing] the capacity to engage constructively across differences with evidence, intellectual humility, and respect' - including to 'develop the Communication Beyond Carolina capacity requirements in the IDEAs in Action General education Curriculum' and 'conceptualize and develop the UNC Program for Public Discourse, emphasizing respectful dialogue in classes and public events.' Objective 5.3 calls for exploration of the relationship between 'humanity's highest purposes' and democratic life.


In 2019, UNC-CH formed the Program for Public Discourse (PPD), recognizing that the complex nature of the pressing issues of our day require reasoned debate rooted in a strong foundation of basic knowledge and a spirit of open intellectual inquiry. In 2023, to fulfill the 'democratic competencies' goals of Carolina Next (5.2-3) and in light of increased pressures and challenges facing our democracy, the Board of Trustees identified the need for degree-oriented programs in the area of Civic Life and Leadership and resolved that the campus accelerate development of a School of Civic Life and Leadership. Subsequently an ad hoc faculty committee refined plans for an interdisciplinary, degree-granting unit within the College of Arts and Sciences. In September 2023, SCiLL was established by the Provost and an act of the North Carolina General Assembly. In October 2023, the inaugural faculty, representing Communication, English and Comparative Literature, History, Music, Philosophy, Physics and Astronomy, Political Science, and Psychology and Neuroscience Departments within the College, was appointed, and an interim Director and Dean named.

This tenure track faculty position will focus on teaching, research and service to the department and campus community. We will consider applicants from any area of study as long as it aligns to the mission of the program. The successful applicant will also participate in workshops with faculty focused on how to foster productive dialogue across difference in the classroom, and work across disciplines to help SCiLL build bridges with multiple departments in the College.

Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in a related field by July 1, 2024.

Previous undergraduate teaching experience.

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Candidates should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, research statement, teaching statement, and the names and contact information of four references. Please use the "Other Document" attachment to provide the teaching statement. Applications will be considered until the position is filled, but our review of applications will begin on March 15, 2024.

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost office at (919)-962-1091 or send an email to facultyrecruitment@unc.edu.

Please note: The Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost office will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

If you have any questions about the job requirements or the hiring department notify the Department Contact.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.