by Angela Morabito
The University of Pittsburgh has posted a job listing for an assistant professor of “Structural Racism, Oppression, and Black Political Experiences” as part of a larger initiative to hire academics who work on issues of equity and inclusion.
The job listing states that “desirable research and teaching interests include, but are not limited to: race and ethnic politics, identity, democratic behavior, activism and collective action, representation, urban or local governance, health and healthcare policy, technology policy or algorithmic bias, environmental justice, ethnic or international conflict, migration, post-colonialism/post-imperialism.”
This position is one of three faculty appointments that the Department of Political Science plans to make as part of a “cluster hire.” A cluster hire is a set of new hires made by an institution that brings in a cohort of academics whose work centers around a specific theme, or who share other selected characteristics. This cluster, located in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, focuses on “Race, Representation, and Anti-Black and Systemic Racism.”
“We encourage applications from scholars working on problems of racial oppression and racialized inequalities and hierarchies,” the job listing states. The University is seeking applicants who study these issues in the context of “race and ethnic politics, in political behavior, in political economy, in international and transnational politics, in global or domestic institutions.”
The application process for this position reflects the University’s push for increasing diversity and inclusion. In addition to a curriculum vitae, writing samples, letters of recommendation, and a cover letter, applicants must include “a brief statement of how [their] research, teaching or service demonstrates a commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
The job posting does not list a salary range, but data from Glassdoor shows that the average base pay for an associate professor at UPitt is $100,969 per annum. The selected candidate for this position would begin their work in the fall of 2022.
The University of Pittsburgh did not respond to a request for comment.
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Angela Morabito is a Higher Education Fellow and Spokeswoman for Campus Reform. She is the former Press Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, where she went head-to-head with the Left, the media, and the teachers’ unions on behalf of the Trump administration and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. In that role, she communicated to the press and the American public on all facets of education policy, with emphasis on academic freedom, students’ civil rights, and the student loan debt spiral. Before her appointment as Press Secretary, Angela worked in public affairs, digital media, and higher education administration. She has authored opinion pieces for the Washington Examiner and The Federalist. Red Alert Politics named her to the “30 Under 30” conservatives to watch in 2016. Angela graduated cum laude from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and later earned a Master’s degree, also from Georgetown, with particular focus on politics, culture, media, and ethics.
Photo “UPitt” by University of Pittsburgh.
