"Post-Doc on Early American Literature and Culture"

Job Details

Over the past several decades, scholarship in Early American Literature and Culture has moved well beyond its traditional temporal and geographic boundaries. The field now explores early America in relation to hemispheric, transatlantic, and Indigenous formations and reimagines it as a dynamic contact zone shaped by empire, colonialism, and migration.

The purpose of this postdoctoral fellowship is to encourage original research on the literatures and cultures of early America. We seek a scholar whose work explores how early American texts contributed to the formation of key modern concepts such as race, gender, and sovereignty. Projects may also explore the ways in which early American literature and cultural practices were shaped by the broader transnational circulation of peoples, ideas, and commodities.

Eligibility and Requirements

Eligible candidates should hold a PhD (or be close to completing their PhD at the time of application) in English, American Studies, Early American Literature, or a related discipline. The fellowship is aimed at early-career scholars whose research contributes to rethinking early American texts and cultural formations within global, hemispheric or Indigenous contexts. Applicants should not have held, nor currently hold, a professorial position at another institution.

The selected fellow will pursue independent research while also collaborating with faculty members in the Department of English at the American University of Beirut. The fellow will also teach two undergraduate courses during the academic year and participate in seminars and research events in the Department and the Center. The appointment will begin on August 15, 2026, for an initial period of one year, and may be renewed following review in accordance with university policies.

Institutional Fit

The fellow will hold a primary appointment in the Department of English, with a formal affiliation to the Center for American Studies and Research (CASAR). This joint appointment is designed to foster a generative cultural dialogue. For CASAR, the fellow’s research expands the Center's critical inquiry into the historical roots of American cultural formations, connecting early American studies to contemporary questions of empire and transnationalism. For the Department of English, the fellow introduces a scholarly perspective that revitalizes the study of early American literature and culture and strengthens the department’s historical and interdisciplinary offerings.

Application Instructions:

Interested applicants should submit:

• A cover letter outlining their research interests and how they align with the position. A curriculum vitae (CV). A research proposal (maximum 2 pages) detailing the candidate’s project A sample syllabus for a proposed course Contact information for three academic references.

Please submit all materials to Intofolio at this link: https://apply.interfolio.com/178845

Review of applications will begin on February 1, 2026.

The American University of Beirut is an equal opportunity employer.