Position Description
Yale-NUS College is a highly selective liberal
arts college in Singapore. Co-founded by Yale University and the National
University of Singapore, the College is committed to excellence in research and
teaching within a full residential programme that integrates living and
learning. Its curriculum educates students in Asian and Western intellectual
traditions as well as current scientific thought. A student body of 1000
undergraduates from over 60 countries engages with more than 100 outstanding
faculty from around the world through small classes and hands-on research.
Students and faculty also have access to the wider resources of two
world-leading research universities.
The College invites applications for an endowed
chair in Comparative Religious Studies, at the rank of tenured Professor.
Applicants should have a relevant PhD and demonstrate
an outstanding track record for their career stage. A clear ability and passion
for undergraduate education is essential. The incoming faculty member would
join a committed team dedicated to the development and teaching of Comparative
Religious Studies, which does not reside in any one Major at the College, but
bridges several majors in Humanities and the Social Sciences, and the Yale-NUS flagship
Common Curriculum
(See: http://www.yale-nus.edu.sg/curriculum/common-curriculum).
Additional details about the position:
The Yap Kim Hao Chair of Comparative Religious
Studies is an important post from which to develop the comparative study of
religion in Singapore and South-East Asia. The vision of the chair, inspired by
Rev. Yap Kim Hao, is one of developing comparative religious studies within the
academic purview of Yale-NUS College while promoting intellectual values of
pluralism, diversity, tolerance, and the search for truth. The person appointed
to this chair will have expertise in one or more religious traditions, function
within contemporary discourses of Religious Studies and the Social Sciences
about the nature of comparative religion, articulate a vision for the field
into the future, and be committed to exploring the relevance of religion in contemporary
society. The post entails a teaching commitment to Yale-NUS College and the
ability to interact with the wider community beyond the College. The person
appointed will be expected to have an extremely strong record of research and
academic publications with a clear trajectory and research program into the
future.
The person appointed to this position will be
expected to:
- contribute to the educational vision of
Yale-NUS College, by working equally between the Common Curriculum (which
includes a component of Historical Immersion) and any one or more of the
College majors;
- conduct research in comparative religious
studies, with strong interest in the co-existence of religions in the
contemporary world, whether specific to South-East Asia or globally;
- deploy expertise in the primary languages and
texts of the religion that has been the main focus of his or her research along
with the ability to synthesize knowledge from a wide range of disciplines, and
be able to operate at both the level of textual research or fieldwork and the
trans-civilizational level of comparative studies;
- be prepared to work with religious communities in
Singapore to develop the cultural and social relevance of comparative religious
studies both in the local and the wider context;
- be responsible to the Director of Humanities in
respect of teaching allocation;
- be committed to teaching 4 courses annually (singly
or as part of a team), spread over two semesters.
The appointee will be expected to begin duties
in time for the start of the 2021-2022 academic year (i.e. from 1 July 2021).
Faculty receive internationally competitive
salaries and start-up grants as well as a yearly travel and research allowance.
They are able to access additional funding from Yale-NUS, the National
University of Singapore, and Singaporeâs Ministry of Education. Most faculty
qualify for highly subsidized faculty housing. Yale-NUS College is located in
Singapore, a multicultural city of six million at the heart of a vibrant
region.
Application
Procedure
Applications should consist of the following: a
cover letter explaining why the position at Yale-NUS is of interest; a full
curriculum vitae, including a complete list of publications; statements on
research interests, teaching experience, and teaching philosophy, including how
these might fit with the Collegeâs particular mission and curriculum; and names
of, and contact information for, three academic referees.
Applications should be submitted via https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/16662 . Review of applications begins from Nov.1, 2020 and
continues until the position is filled.
Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
For general enquiries, please email: humanities_division@yale-nus.edu.sg
Equal Opportunity Employer
Yale-NUS
College achieves excellence through the diversity of its students, faculty, and
staff and by embracing inclusivity, equity, and global engagement. We encourage
applications by diverse individuals with a demonstrated commitment to
continually support these values. For more information about the College,
please visit https://www.yale-nus.edu.sg
Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA)
Candidates
should understand that by sharing information with Yale-NUS, they authorise the
College to use their personal data for the purposes of this application. The
College will not use their data for other purposes and ensure that their data
remains secure and confidential.
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