Assistant Professor - Bengali History and Culture

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses in History and South Asian Studies on the Mississauga campus (UTM) and will hold a graduate appointment in the Department for the Study of Religion on the St. George campus.

This search aligns with the University’s commitment to strategically and proactively promote diversity among our community members (Statement on Equity, Diversity & Excellence). Recognizing that Black, Indigenous, and other Racialized communities have experienced inequities that have developed historically and are ongoing, we strongly welcome and encourage candidates from those communities to apply.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates must have earned a PhD degree in South Asia area studies or a related area by the time of appointment, or shortly thereafter, with a demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching in the history and religions of Bengal. The successful candidate must demonstrate linguistic mastery in Bengali and training and proficiency in other South Asian languages. The geographic scope of their work must cut across what are today the national boundaries of India and Bangladesh, with a focus on language, nationalism, and/or environmental history. We seek candidates whose research and teaching interests complement and enhance our existing departmental strengths.

Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence which can be demonstrated through a record of publications in top-ranked and field-relevant journals or forthcoming publications that meet high international standards; the submitted research statement; presentations at significant conferences; awards and accolades; and strong endorsements from referees.

Evidence of excellence in teaching will be demonstrated through teaching accomplishments, the teaching dossier (including the required materials outlined below, as well as evidence of superior performance in other teaching-related activities), and strong letters of reference. Other teaching-related activities can include performance as a teaching assistant or course instructor, experience leading successful workshops or seminars, student mentorship, or excellent conference presentations or posters.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate will be expected to pursue innovative and independent research, and to establish an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program.

In addition, the successful candidate will be assigned a teaching and service load.

The successful candidate will teach in the History and South Asian Humanities programs housed in the Department of Historical Studies at UTM. They will be able to offer a broad range of courses from the introductory to the advanced undergraduate level. At the graduate level, the successful candidate will have opportunities for teaching, supervision, and mentorship in the Department for the Study of Religion housed on the University of Toronto’s St. George campus

HIRING SALARY RANGE

The expected salary range is $135,000 - $160,000 CAD per annum, depending on experience. Negotiations beyond this salary range will be considered for exceptionally qualified candidates.

ABOUT US

The transdisciplinary Department of Historical Studies at the University of Toronto Mississauga encompasses programs in Classical Civilization, Diaspora and Transnational Studies, History, History of Religions, and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. For more information about our department, please visit our home page.

For more information on working at the University of Toronto, please visit https://www.utoronto.ca/research-innovation/working-at-uoft.

At UTM we are committed to fostering an environment of diversity and inclusion. With an enviably diverse student body, we especially welcome applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, Black, or racially visible (persons of colour), and who have experience working with, teaching or mentoring diverse groups or students. Candidates must demonstrate, in their application materials, an ability to foster diversity on campus and within the curriculum or discipline, and must show evidence of a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial environment. Candidates must submit a statement describing their contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion, which might cover topics such as (but not limited to): teaching that incorporates a focus on underrepresented communities; efforts undertaken to develop inclusive pedagogies, collaboration, and engagement with underrepresented communities; and mentoring of students from underrepresented groups. If you have questions about this statement, please contact Dr. Brian Gettler, Acting Chair, Department of Historical Studies at hs.chair@utoronto.ca.

APPLICATION PROCESS

All application materials, including recent reference letters, must be received by October 26, 2026.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below. Your CV and cover letter should be uploaded into the dedicated fields. Please combine additional application materials into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. Applicants must submit the following materials:

• a cover letter;
• a current curriculum vitae;
• a research statement outlining current and future research interests;
• a recent writing sample;
• an equity, diversity, and inclusion statement (as noted above);
• a teaching dossier, including
  • a teaching statement,
  • sample course materials, and
  • teaching evaluations or evidence of superior performance in other teaching-related activities as listed above; and
• the name and contact information of three references.

The University of Toronto’s recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each referee within 48 hours of an application being submitted. Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that referees submit recent letters (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date. Submission guidelines and details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the candidate FAQ.

If you have any questions about this position, please contact Dr. Brian Gettler, Acting Chair, Department of Historical Studies at hs.chair@utoronto.ca.