Academic vacancies in Modern and Contemporary Art and Visual Culture with a specialism in Black studies, and/or the arts of Africa, and/or its global diasporas

The Courtauld Institute of Art is the UK’s leading institution for teaching and research in Art History and the conservation of paintings; it is also home to one of the finest small art museums in the world. The Art History department has an outstanding research and teaching record from Late Antiquity to the Contemporary with an increasingly global outlook, and embraces its diversity of theoretical approaches and methodologies.

The Courtauld is advertising for two positions in Modern and Contemporary Art and Visual Culture with a specialism in Black studies, and/or the arts of Africa, and/or its global diasporas. Joining the permanent faculty of 35 academics, these new colleagues will enable The Courtauld to extend and deepen teaching and research in this thriving field of study.

We welcome applications from scholars working in the field of art history, or in the visual arts and culture in dialogue with one or more interdisciplinary areas such as: critical race theory; decolonial/postcolonial studies; film and media studies; gender/queer studies; architecture; ecocriticism; performance studies; visual anthropology, and curating. Areas of focus may include, but are not limited to, Black British culture, the Black Atlantic, Négritude, Pan-African movements,African-American history and exhibition histories.

These appointments offer an exciting opportunity to provide academic leadership in fields of critical importance to the discipline, within and beyond The Courtauld Institute of Art. We welcome applications from those at any post-doctoral (or equivalent) career stage, and encourage applications from early career scholars as well as senior scholars with outstanding track records in research leadership, publication, curriculum design and/or reform, teaching and academic administration. The appointed faculty will have an important role in transforming teaching and research at The Courtauld with colleagues.

The appointed faculty will develop undergraduate and graduate-level courses in their respective fields of study. Teaching at The Courtauld takes a variety of forms, from small-group seminars, lectures, and tutorials, to teaching in front of works of art in galleries and museums both within the UK and internationally. In addition, all faculty contribute to team-taught lecture and seminar courses at BA undergraduate level.

A highlight of the teaching programme at The Courtauld is its world-leading postgraduate MA degree in the History of Art, which recruits students from around the world. Each faculty member develops and teaches an MA special option focused on their own areas of research specialism and interest. The Courtauld also has a robust PhD programme and the appointed faculty will be supported and encouraged in the recruitment and supervision of PhD students.

All faculty are entitled to regular sabbaticals from their teaching. In addition, they are encouraged to apply for external grants and fellowships, supported by The Courtauld’s dedicated Research Department.

We especially wish to attract suitably qualified applicants from Africa and from African diaspora backgrounds as a commitment to redressing the continuing low proportion of Black, Asian and minority ethnic scholars in UK academia. The Courtauld is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds as we have under-representation that we wish to address.

The Courtauld warmly welcomes applicants who require Tier 2 sponsorship to work in the UK as well candidates from within the UK.

Applicants who are interested in discussing the role informally before submitting an application may contact Professor Jo Applin, Head of Art History at The Courtauld Institute of Art via email at jo.applincourtauld.ac.uk.

Application is online: https://jobs.courtauld.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=386.
You will also need to include a CV and a supporting statement of no more than 1500 words. You should also give the names of 3 referees.

The supporting statement should set out how you meet the criteria of this position, and include a brief statement about your research profile. This should include your current and future research plans, your teaching plans and experience, your administrative experience, and potential to contribute to the research profile and impact of The Courtauld. Please address the criteria set out in the Person Specification when preparing your statement.

The deadline for applications is 4 January 2021. The interview dates are 18-19 March 2021.

Longlisting for the position will take place between 13 January and 24 February 2021.

Context:

A focus on the art and visual culture of Africa and the African diaspora is part of The Courtauld’s long-term strategy to fortify the global reach of our teaching and research. Over the last decade, The Courtauld has sought to push beyond the Euro-American bias of the discipline with a number of appointments in the fields of Middle Eastern and East Asian art. These two positions will allow us to further expand The Courtauld’s robust research programme as part of our continuing efforts to decentre and decolonise the curriculum. The urgency for the appointment of specialists in Black art history and visual culture is underscored by the recent Royal Historical Society report on race, ethnicity and equality, which makes a powerful case for greater diversity among university students, faculty, and curricula in historical disciplines.