Postdoctoral Fellow in Humanities (Andrew W. Mellon Fellows) (EXPIRED)

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has announced a major grant to the Asian University for Women in Chittagong, Bangladesh to create and support a new Humanities major that would combine Literature, History, Philosophy and Comparative Religion, supported by extracurricular activities in music, dance, photography and the visual arts.

AUW is seeking applications from candidates who have recently acquired PhDs from reputable universities in the fields of History; Literature or Comparative Literature; Philosophy; or Religion for appointment as Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship at AUW. The appointment, based in Chittagong, will be for two years on completion of which the Fellows may be considered for appointment as Assistant Professors.

We seek candidates who have a deep passion for uncovering the history of oppressed people and exploring philosophical and literary texts on the margins, but who are not ideologically charged to fail the students analytically. The teaching format can turn to creative and imaginative channels. For example, illustrative courses in Literature may include “Literature of Social Reflection,” “Banned Books,” “Shakespeare,” “Literature as Resistance to Oppression,” “Poetry of Faiz, Darwish, and Neruda,” and “Greek Tragedies.” In the field of History, some illustrative course samples may be: “History of the Empires,” “South Asian History,” “South East Asian History,” “Women’s History,” “History of Those Without History,” “Labor Movement History,” and “History of Industrialization.”

Vacancies are in areas of History, Literature, Philosophy and Comparative Religious Studies

Employment Status: Full-time contractual

Job Location: Chittagong, Bangladesh

Job Context: Developing AUW’s capacity to teach the humanities from an Asian perspective and to generate fresh and exciting ideas

Core Responsibilities:

• Research and publication in the applicant’s area of specialization
• Teaching two courses per term (four per year).
• Program development
• Other duties as assigned by Dean of Humanities

Qualifications and Experience Required:

• Doctorate from recognized university in relevant field
• Experience of working in a liberal arts environment in a well-established university or college
• Excellent command of spoken and written English
• Appropriate IT skills
• Experience of working in a multicultural environment with excellent communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills and capacity to build constructive partnerships and to engage in effective teamwork
• Ability to represent the University in a professional manner and to communicate effectively and persuasively

• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Mellon Fellowships will be generally tax free and come with funds for research and travel. Each Mellon Fellow will have the opportunity to continue his or her research with a mentor. The selected candidates will receive a tax-free salary of $30,000 per annum plus free housing and access to meals at the dining halls at no cost. Local transportation shall also be generally available at no cost.

Candidates with spouses who have similar intellectual pedigrees and interests are encouraged to apply. Similarly, candidates with particular connections or interests in the region are emphatically encouraged to apply.