Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Africana Studies

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The Religious Studies Department and Africana Studies Program at Rhodes College seek to hire a two-year Visiting Assistant Professor in Religious Studies and Africana Studies beginning August 2026.

The teaching load will be six courses per academic year. The successful candidate will teach intermediate and upper-level courses in the undergraduate curriculum in Africana Studies & Religious Studies, aligned with their area of expertise. The candidate will also teach first-year core curriculum courses that engage with the biblical tradition in conversation with contemporary issues as part of the Life: Then and Now Program (www.rhodes.edu/humanities). Applications from those with specializations in Womanist theology, Black liberation theology, Afro-Caribbean religions, or African diaspora religions are especially welcome. Courses may also be cross-listed with such interdisciplinary programs as Environmental Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Urban Studies. Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to teaching in a liberal arts environment.

Qualifications: Ph.D. in Religious Studies and/or African American/Africana Studies, with a specialty in African American Religion, clear evidence of teaching excellence, and a strong record of and/or significant potential for peer-reviewed scholarly publications in the relevant area of African American Religious Studies.  

Rhodes is a nationally ranked residential college committed to the liberal arts and sciences. Our highest priorities are intellectual engagement, community excellence, service to others, and honor among ourselves. Our students live and learn on one of the country’s most beautiful campuses, located in the heart of Memphis, an economic, medical, and culturally diverse center, making Rhodes one of a handful of prominent liberal arts colleges in a major metropolitan area.

Rhodes College prides itself on providing a welcoming environment for employees of all backgrounds, viewpoints, and life experiences. We are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, religion, age, disability, genetic information, or other protected characteristics.

A complete application will include 1) a cover letter that addresses the strengths the candidate will bring as a teacher and scholar to a liberal arts college environment; 2) a curriculum vitae; 3) a separate statement that addresses how the candidate will foster an inclusive learning environment where students from a wide variety of perspectives, beliefs, and backgrounds learn how to engage in civil and respectful dialogue. 

Review of completed applications will begin March 9th and will continue until the position is filled. Letters of recommendation will only be solicited for short-listed applicants, at which time you will be prompted for the names and contact information for three (3) references. Background checks are required before candidates can be brought to campus for interviews. Contact McKinley E. Melton at meltonm@rhodes.edu with any questions.