Middle Eastern History Jobs, 2009-10

Middle Eastern History

 * How many people are checking this board regularly? Add one for yourself:  33


 * Which AHA interviews have set up campus visits? (Post here and below, so it's easier to see without having to weed through all of the information below.)
 * Oregon interview (x1)

Nebraska (x1)

Dartmouth (x1)

U of Illinois-Springfield (x3)

--it seems to vary from school to school. I applied for a handful of jobs last year; some were quick to tell me where they were in the process, while others never contacted me at all. --Not sure. I do know, however, that Grinnell is holding 18 preliminary interviews, and I am not one of them. Ouch.
 * Do schools send out rejection letters as soon as they decide that you're not their candidate or do they wait until the search is over to inform everyone at once?
 * Does anyone have an interview at MESA?
 * Just Fairfield for me
 * I have two, TAMU and Fairfield
 * me too
 * Does anyone know how many people apply per position, on average, and how many people are asked to be interviewed per job, on average?
 * I am far away from my office at the moment. I suspect that I have an EOE form or two in my box. Do you guys think that I should bother with having those forwarded to me so I can fill them out and submit them, or do you think I don't have to go through the trouble? In other words, do you think that not submitting them disqualifies me?
 * In my experience from the institutional/university/search committee side of the table, a candidate's failing to return an EOE card or affirmative action questionnaire or HR form DOES NOT disqualify the candidate -- in fact, by design, search committees don't generally see this stuff, only the HR department does. There are, however, at least two ways in which a candidate failing to return such a form might affect the progress of the search: 1) if the HR department does not receive sufficient numbers of EOE forms to demonstrate to a hypothetical court that they have attempted to attract a sufficiently diverse pool of applicants, AND if that HR department is sufficiently gun-shy from previous or current lawsuits or threats, then the HR department might just cancel the whole search. So, not returning a single form might contribute, in a small way, to a cancelled search. This is rare. Option 2) If the HR department in question is in control of the candidate files (as opposed to the department), and again, IF the HR department is sufficiently gun-shy or amped-up or power mad, then it occasionally happens that an HR department might not consider a candidate's file WITHOUT an EOE card as being incomplete, and would then choose not to forward the candidate's "incomplete" file to the department. This, also, is rare. So, in my opinion, failing to submit an EOE card does NOT disqualify you. But, in a few extremely unlikely scenarios, it could complicate the process.

*Bard College Tenure-Track, post 1600 middle east request for telephone interview 12/4 They have been hiring for the last 5 or 6 years. How many Middle East people do they have? Request for campus interview 12/29 Rejection letter 1/20


 * Georgia State University,
 * phone interview

Phone interview for 11/19
 * Colby-Sawyer College, Tenure-Track Assistant

--From Europe page, invitation for campus interview from mid-December, to be scheduled for late Jan/Feb.
 * Georgetown University
 * University of Arkansas, pre-modern Islam
 * Request for additional materials (1/25)
 * Grinnell College Middle East and Religion&pnbsp;     Anybody hear about Grinnell interviews yet?
 * Rejection email 11/9
 * invited for campus visit 12/4
 * This was a failed search last year. I don't think it was for financial reasons as three candidates were brought in for campus interviews. It might help those who get to that stage this year to subtly find out the reason for the failure last year.
 * in MESA interview seemed willing to consider a large number of candidates for campus interview.
 * Grinnell offered the position to a new PhD at least a couple weeks ago, but that offer was recently turned down. Not clear whether they have offered the position to another candidate yet. 1/26
 * Did not know about the position being offered to a candidate; however, their 3rd candidate never showed up for the on-campus interview (on last day of Fall semester), as had accepted position elsewhere. So they brought a 3rd candidate to campus this past Monday (1/25), first day of the new semester. Whoever gets the position should hear soon. During campus visit seemed like there was a lot of excitement over the candidate pool for this year and they were definitely looking to hire someone. (1/29) Final candidate 1/25? Any word on this position? (2/2/2010)


 * Last word was that they were going to decide this week (2/4/2010)

Rejection email 12/11
 * Northwestern University
 * ditto

--rumor of phone interviews back in late Nov.
 * Old Dominion University
 * SUNY - New Paltz, Tenure-Track Assistant, Middle East before 1918
 * Texas A&M, Tenure-Track Assistant, Islamic World

Rejection letter 10/21
 * Inteview at MESA 10/25
 * Offer made and accepted 12/18

invited for campus visit 11/11
 * University of Manitoba
 * University of Notre Dame, Medieval Middle East

Has anybody heard back about interviews for Notre Dame job?

I got a rejection letter 10/22

Any other news about Notre Dame? I haven't heard anything.

request for a writing sample on 10/10

Has anybody gotten a Notre Dame interview?


 * University of Oregon
 * request for additional materials 10/25--they will contact AHA interviewees in mid December
 * request for AHA interview 12/3 (x2)
 * rejection emails (for AHA interview stage) sent 12/8. Said they had received more than 130 applications for the position.
 * campus interview at end of January


 * University of St. Thomas
 * -Search cancelled due to budget cuts, will be redone next year


 * Rutgers-Newark
 * request for additional materials early/mid October.x2
 * request for additional materials 10/19, request for teaching evals 11/9
 * -phone interview 11/19
 * -has anyone been invited to campus at Rutgers-Newark?
 * -I was on 11/15 or so, and the visit has been completed
 * -search completed
 * rejection on 12/21 (merry xmas)
 * offer made and accepted - 1/13

-rumor of phone interviews back in late Nov.
 * Northeastern Illinois U

- What's happening with this job. I had a phone interview in November and have heard nothing since.


 * interviewed on campus last year; unorganized dept., depressingly unionized, and never notified of job search status.

- Offer was made and accepted in early January... (not mine, a friend, thus don't know the exact date)

request for additional materials 11/19
 * Dartmouth

request for AHA interview 12/3 (x3)

request for additional materials 11/17--word on the street is that they aren't conducting AHA interviews (11/20)
 * University of Kansas

any more news from Kansas? (12/14)

If they're not doing AHA interviews does that make it more likely that they're looking at the Associate rank? The job was listed as Assistant/Associate. I'm not sure if they              would have Associate level people do the AHA cattle call.

- Good point, hadn't thought of that. Not that it means anything, but I got a request for more materials and I'm definitely not at Assoc level.

- Any more news from Kansas? (1/22)

-Has anyone heard anything from UNL?
 * U of Nebraska-Lincoln

-Nothing yet 12/4

-request for AHA interview 12/16
 * Fairfield U
 * -request for MESA interview 11/18
 * -invitation to campus 11/27
 * --said they would do AHA interviews? --yes they are going to the AHA - has anyone had confirmation of that since MESA? They said there they were considering trying to get out of doing AHA-- as of 12/8 they were planning to interview at AHA as promised
 * -request for AHA interview 12/18 &gt;&gt;&gt; anyone had AHA interview times confirmed (rather than just asked for preferences)? 12/24
 * -- Not yet. I think it's fair to assume we won't hear back until after the New Year-- stragglers answering, holidays, snow storms, etc.  (12/25)  Details confirmed 12/28.

-Email acknowledgement 11/30 (x2)
 * Western Carolina U
 * Anyone hear anything about this position yet? Normally I cast a skeptical eye on those who mention the possibility of an inside hire but in this case, the department already has someone who does Islamic World.---Their visiting professor does medieval muslim spain. Maybe they want a early modern/modern?
 * Anyone hear anything about this position yet? Normally I cast a skeptical eye on those who mention the possibility of an inside hire but in this case, the department already has someone who does Islamic World.---Their visiting professor does medieval muslim spain. Maybe they want a early modern/modern?

-12/3 Contacted re: short list. Said they will decide short-short list for campus visit soon. (x2)
 * -1/13: Any news on campus visits yet? Decision was postponed because of storms, but I thought they'd be making decisions this week re: campus invites.

-Campus visits scheduled last week --ack letter received by snail mail 12/9
 * U of Louisville


 * U of Maine at Farmington

-- request for AHA interview 12/15 (x2)
 * U of Illinois Springfield

---ack. letter received 12/4 (x2)

---request for AHA interview 12/11 (X5)

---Both ack. letter and AHA interview received 12/07(x1)


 * --Campus interview scheduled 1/27 (2)


 * Naval Postgraduate School
 * ---will notify candidates of campus interviews to be conducted in early/mid Feb, according to search coordinator

Anyone know anything about the Princeton NES postdocs?


 * School of Oriental and African Studies, London: Lecture in Early Islam
 * How many people applied for this position? 1
 * It might be a replacement for Gerald Hawting who is now emeritus...

African History
Carleton College Asst Prof http://h-net.org/jobs//display_job.php?jobID=3887
 * any news from Carleton yet?
 * No news yet (12/4)
 * Rejection letter (12/4) x5
 * Interview requested (12/3) Extended writing sample (12/3)
 * On-campus interview (1/13), ABD

McGill University, Quebec CanadaHistory of Sub-Saharan Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries
 * anyone else apply for this? -mcgill? yes. i think we are two among many, many applicants, from what i've been hearing (11/22)
 * yes, I've applied and heard the same (12/2)
 * have not heard anything yet (12/4)
 * Letter acknowledging receipt of materials (12/4)
 * email asking short-listed abd candidates for more materials (12/10) x2 /non-abd (12/10) x1
 * Has anyone heard from McGill yet? They asked for supplemental materials, due on 12/18.
 * no, not even a confirmation that materials were received (12/22). Yes, no confirmation. (12/23).
 * Did they indicate they were doing AHA interviews? They did not indicate that they were doing AHA interviews on their advertisement (12/29)
 * Any news? (1/17)
 * nothing (1/18)


 * Have heard from someone who claims to have an interview in late January (1/20)
 * McGill has already had two on-campus interviews (2/3)

Pomona College, Northern Africa
 * Any news from Pomona?
 * AHA interview scheduled by email, 12/16.
 * Are you sure this is accurate? I was in touch with someone on this date and there was no decision made as of then. (12/21)


 * I've heard from people that they've scheduled interviews (but not with me!) (12/21)
 * Campus interviews scheduled (1/23)

University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, environmental and natural resource issues in Sub-Saharan Africa University of Oregon
 * Surely this was from last year. There is no Oregon search this year.-there is an Oregon search that includes North Africa
 * The Sub Saharan position was filled last year (12/2)
 * The North African position? it was open this year as well (I applied)

University of Wisconsin -- La CrosseAssistant Professor of World History / Sub Saharan Africa
 * Short list of applicants made, have been contacted for AHA interviews.
 * contacted today 12/1x3
 * Found this over in the World History section: "Short list of applicants made, have been contacted for AHA interviews." I can't verify. (12/8)
 * I can. 12/9 x2
 * Shorter list of on-campus interviewees made, should be contacted soon. (1/15)
 * All three on-campus interviews organized for Jan/Feb (1/20)

Yale, sub saharan Africa since 1850
 * SEARCH CANCELED

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Africa/Europe, 800-1700
 * Apply ahttp://www.jobsatcu.com, refer to posting 808542.
 * The posting is now up on h-net, so i took down the details to keep this page streamlined.

College of William and Mary, Assistant Professor African History
 * request for writing samples (11/19) x3
 * Any interview scheduled?
 * Asked for more writing, but no interview news, yet (12/4) x4
 * Does anyone know if the search is canceled?
 * Do not know, but a friend got an interview. (12/21)
 * AHA interview requested today by email. ABD colonial/postcolonial Africa. (12/23) x2
 * any further news re: short-listed candidates? (1/19)
 * On-campus interviews scheduled, ABD (1/20)

Hofstra University
 * Confirmation letter promises AHA invites/rejections by 12/15.


 * it's 12/15... still no response...
 * Yup, no response...
 * hiring freeze, search cancelled. GRRRR.

Lehman College, CUNY
 * request for interview (11/11); likewise - they're interviewing at both New Orleans and San Diego (11/11)
 * interview at ASA (12/4) x2
 * Request for interview at AHA
 * Are people who are being interviewed at AHA going for round one or follow up from ASA? (12/12). Interviewed at ASA, asked for a second round at AHA (12/14)
 * Interviewed at ASA and just contacted about AHA interview. ABD colonial/postcolonial Africa (12/23).
 * on-campus invite (1/21) x1

Connecticut College
 * any news from CC? (12/1)
 * No news yet (12/4) x2
 * requested affirmative action info (12/3) (x2)
 * AHA interview (12/11) x3
 * Was the AHA invite by email or phone?
 * email x3
 * do short-listed candidates work on Africa or the diaspora? I work on Africa (colonial/postcolonial)
 * africa here. i deleted the previous posting regarding affirmative action... let's keep it professional on here, people.
 * Feel free to delete any posting you don't like and rest assured you'll find out soon enough how "professional" this search is. By the way, manipulating the candidate pool to hire a minority has NOTHING to do with affirmative action - it's simply an unethical practice. good luck!
 * Let's keep it professional. This is all conjecture and idle gossip anyway. African History is rife with this sort of thing. The process is hard on everyone. Let's just keep this page rooted in fact, shall we?
 * Any news re shortlisted candidates? 1/20
 * Haven't heard yet. (1/20)
 * on campus invites have been extended (1/20)

Syracuse University
 * Anyone heard anything from SU yet? (10/26)-Nothing (10/30)-- Has to be soon right if they're interviewing in New Orleans?? (10/30)- qui sait? sigh.-- Nothing yet...(11/3)-request for extended writing sample (11/3)--anyone have an interview set up? (11/10)-not yet (11/11)-request for interview (11/12)- did you just get invited for the interview today? and is it still in New Orleans? (11/12)-yes and yes (11/12)


 * At least one person has been invited for an on-campus December interview (12/3)
 * out of curiousity - is anyone who has been invited for an on-campus interview ABD? or has everyone already defended? thanks. (12/3)
 * one is ABD, one maybe not. (12/3)
 * 3 short-listed as far as I know; 1 is ABD. Not confirmed, though (12/4)
 * email confirming they made and offer to someone who has accepted

Gettysburg College
 * no confirmation of receipt of materials (12/8)
 * received confirmation in mid-November by mail (12/8)
 * Affirmative action/confirmation rec'd today (12/8)
 * ABD emailed about AHA interview (12/16)
 * Non-ABD emailed re AHA interview (12/16)
 * do short-listed candidates work on Africa or the diaspora? I work on Africa (colonial/postcolonial).
 * Interview at AHA
 * On-campus interviews scheduled, ABD (1/22)

The College Brockport, SUNY (British and British Africa)
 * no confirmation of receipt of materials (12/8)
 * received confirmation of receipt in mid-November by email (12/8)
 * AHA interview e-mail
 * ABD emailed about AHA interview (12/17)
 * On-campus interviews scheduled (1/20)

University of Tennessee-Knoxville (Africana Studies, 4 separate hires)
 * no confirmation of receipt of materials (12/8)


 * Received confirmation of receipt by email, but only after I contacted them by email (12/8)
 * Email confirmation rec'd today (12/8) (x2)
 * are they doing AHA interviews?
 * Any news at all on this one? I wonder if the large number of searches is forcing the search committee to use telephone interviews over conferences.  (12/29)
 * I applied and haven't heard anything since the email confirmation (12/29)
 * Still no news (1/9)
 * Nothing yet on this one (1/20)
 * Still nothing on this one - maybe Lane Kiffin's depature has caused the delay (1/26)
 * Someone on the Ethnic Studies Wiki said they contacted the dean on this search who claimed that they would be narrowing down the applicant pool by the end of the week of 1/25 (2/2)

Western Carolina University
 * Received confirmation of receipt by email in mid-November (12/8)
 * Phone conversation last week, they will short-list candidates for campus interviews.
 * Any news from Western (1/19)

West Virginia University (Excluding East Africa)
 * They interviewed at ASA in New Orleans (12/4)
 * rejection email received (they will be doing on-campus interviews in Jan) (12/22)

College of Charleston (Precolonial West or Central Africa) University of Florida (Francophone Africa)
 * They interviewed at ASA in New Orleans (12/4)
 * ANY NEWS ON THIS SEARCH?
 * A short list for on-campus interviews has been made (1/23)

Naval Postgraduate University (North Africa)
 * any news on this?

University of Tampa (World and Africa)
 * Just posted over on Historians.org (the AHA job search site)
 * Contacted today about telephone interviews (1/22)
 * Campus invite (1/29)
 * Are the last two posts from the same person? Did you get a confirmation of receipt of materials before being contacted? Anyone else apply but still waiting for word on this position? (2/5)
 * You are not the only one waiting, and I am afraid we are both waiting for Godot. I was also hoping for some sort of feedback. I wonder how many phone interviews they did and how many people were selected for the on-campus interview. 2/6

John Jay College CUNY
 * African-American Studies Department Position (mentions African History)
 * Posted over at the Chronicle. Deadline is 15 March 2010
 * http://chronicle.com/jobs/0000619547-01/