Associate Professorship (or Professorship) in Black British History, c.1900-present
The Queen’s College and the Faculty of History are seeking to recruit an Associate Professor or Professor in Black British History, with a Tutorial Fellowship (the Brittenden Fellowship), to start from 1 October 2021, or as soon as possible thereafter. This is a permanent position after an initial probation. We welcome applications from candidates at all career stages, provided they have a doctorate.
The Queen’s College and the Faculty of History are committed to fostering equality, diversity and inclusiveness. We particularly encourage applications from women, disabled people, and people from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, as these groups are currently under-represented in the College’s and Faculty’s academic staff.
Candidates should have research interests in the cultural, social or political history of people of African and/or Caribbean descent in Britain and/or Ireland. These interests may also range more broadly in time and/or include a focus on the interaction between Britain and the Caribbean, the Atlantic, and the African diaspora more widely. Candidates will also have an interest in building outwards from their knowledge to provide both survey teaching in modern British Isles, European and World History and a small number of more specialised options in (for example) the history of specific Black British communities, the history of ethnicity and race, histories of migration and empire, anti-colonialism and post-colonialism, activism, identity and social memory. The search panel welcomes applications from candidates with backgrounds in subjects other than History, such as Geography, Cultural Studies and Sociology, provided they can demonstrate competence in both research activity and teaching related to Black British History. The postholder will join a thriving community of twentieth-century historians, including several colleagues interested in race and the legacies of empire.
In making this appointment, the College and the University share the goal of developing and strengthening the teaching and research capacities and capabilities of both the College and the History Faculty in this field. While modern British History has long held a distinctive place in the History Faculty at Oxford, both the College and the Faculty see the Brittenden Fellowship in Black British History as an important step in our ongoing commitment to diversity, both within and beyond the syllabus.
As a Tutorial Fellow of the College the postholder will have joint primary responsibility for the provision of History teaching to students at Queen’s, will share in the admission and pastoral care of students studying for degrees involving History, and will contribute to the governance of the College as a member of the Governing Body.
Duties of the post
Please see the full description of the post in the Further Particulars, available to download from the College vacancies website: https://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/vacancies
Selection criteria
Applications will be judged only against the criteria which are set out below. Applicants should make sure that their application shows very clearly how they believe that their skills and experience meet these criteria.
The successful candidate will demonstrate that they satisfy the following criteria:
Salary and Allowances
The successful candidate will be appointed on the College scale for Tutorial (CUF) Fellows holding University Associate Professorships. The combined college and university salary will be on a scale from £48,114 to £64,605.
Candidates should note that this appointment involves two separate contracts, one with the College and one with the University. As a Fellow of The Queen’s College, the successful candidate will be a member of the Governing Body and will hold the Fellowship under the terms of the Statutes and By-laws in force from time to time. The election of the successful candidate to the Fellowship will be subject to the conferment and continued holding of the post of Associate Professor. If, for whatever reason, the appointee should cease to hold this University post, the associated College Fellowship will also cease.
The postholder will be entitled to a housing allowance of £14,198 per annum and a College research allowance of £3,130 p.a. On appointment, normally after the first year in post, to a ‘moral tutorship’, with additional academic guidance and welfare responsibilities, there is an additional annual payment of £3,182. The College also offers the right to rent a ‘college house’, and a loan at preferential rates. The postholder and his or her dependents are also entitled to membership of the College’s health insurance scheme (B.U.P.A.) Details are available from the Bursar, Dr Andrew Timms (andrew.timms@queens.ox.ac.uk).
The post also carries full membership of the College’s Senior Common Room, the right to lunch and dine free of charge, subject to the rules concerning payment for the consumption of alcoholic drinks, and the right to bring a guest or guests at the postholder's own expense on certain occasions. Further benefits include the right to propose academic visitors to the College, the right to book guest rooms and use of the College’s post and printing facilities. The College has extensive facilities for supporting academic conferences and workshops.
Election to the Fellowship will be for a probationary year in the first instance. The Fellowship will then be renewed for four years, and thereafter for periods of ten years up to the retirement age as described in the Standard Terms and Conditions, subject to satisfactory performance of duties and continued holding of the associated university post of Associate Professor.
How to Apply
Candidates should complete the online application form and are required to upload:
Candidates should ask referees to send their references directly to the Academic Administrator at The Queen’s College, Dr Sarah McHugh (sarah.mchugh@queens.ox.ac.uk), and should supply each referee with a copy of the further particulars.
Closing Date
The closing date for applications and the last date for receipt of references direct from referees is 12.00 noon (UK time) on Monday 14th December 2020.
It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that his or her application arrives before the deadline.
Interviews
Interviews will be held entirely online, during the two days listed just below. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted in the week beginning 18th January 2021. All shortlisted candidates will be interviewed on both of the days. Candidates invited for interview will be asked:
1) To give a research presentation in the morning of Thursday 28th January 2021
2) To give a teaching presentation in the afternoon of Thursday 28th January 2021
3) To attend a formal interview with the selection panel on Friday 29th January 2021
The selection panel intends this tri-partite arrangement to allow candidates to prepare for each aspect of the assessment, and to have the opportunity to give a full account of the qualities they would bring to the post.
For full details of the interview process and requirements, please consult the Further Particulars, available to download from the College vacancies website https://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/vacancies
Queries about the post may be addressed to the Senior Tutor, Professor Seth Whidden (seth.whidden@queens.ox.ac.uk)
for those relating to the College part of the post; or to Professor John Watts (john.watts@history.ox.ac.uk) for those relating to the Faculty part of the post. Candidates wishing to know more about equality and diversity in Oxford would be very welcome to contact equality@admin.ox.ac.uk.
All enquiries will be treated in strict confidence; they will not form part of the selection decision
Diversity and Equal Opportunity at Queen’s
The Queen’s College embraces diversity and equal opportunity. Applications are particularly welcome from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in Oxford. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.
The College invites all applicants to familiarise themselves with its equal opportunities policy, available at:
https://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/sites/www.queens.ox.ac.uk/files/Equal-Opportunities-Policy-%28May%202020%29.pdf
The College also shares the university’s commitment ‘to fostering an inclusive culture which promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its staff and students are respected.’ The university’s full policy is available at: https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/equality-policy
We are committed to the principles of equal opportunities and respect for individuals in creating and maintaining an inclusive environment that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We value and celebrate diversity and feel that is critical to achieving our strategic aims and long-term success. We work to recruit employees and admit students from a wide range of backgrounds and promote an inclusive culture in which:
All College meetings include consideration of its duties under the Equality Act 2010 as they pertain to the meeting’s actions and decisions. In formal and informal settings alike, the College endeavours to make decisions that afford equal opportunities to, and foster good relationships between, different groups of people.
In response to the Black Lives Matter movement, the College set up a working group, including students and staff, which has been looking at all areas where we can improve: in our outreach activities, in admissions, and in financial support, for undergraduates and postgraduates alike; in the procedures related to hiring and retaining academic and non-academic staff members of the highest calibre; in student support; and in all aspects of fostering an inclusive community in which everyone feels respected, valued, and heard. The Governing Body is considering the working group’s proposals during the 2020-21 academic year.