Shii News – Academic Items
1. Recordings of all the last term’s Monday Majlises of the Centre for the Study of Islam, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter and the recordings of the whole series, since October 2022 can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8YRkUahFj_81oJzCSDLTx4kVQQgeHLc-
2. Instructor (Senior Lecturer of Arabic) – U S Naval Academy
LOCATION:
United States Naval Academy, Languages and Cultures Department
APPLICATION TIMELINE:
This position does not have a specific application deadline. Application review will begin on January 10, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled.
ABOUT THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY:
The United States Naval Academy is a unique institution of higher learning located in desirable Annapolis, Maryland. As an historic officer accession program and premier undergraduate college, the United States Naval Academy has its own distinctive niche amongst American educational institutions. Our talented faculty and staff are united by one common purpose–to develop the next generation of leaders for our naval service. To deliver on this promise to our nation, we recruit from all segments of society to find faculty, instructors, and support staff who model the highest professional standards.
The United States Naval Academy is committed to building a diverse workforce who collaborate to provide a multi-disciplinary and hands-on approach to student learning and leadership development. We believe that individuals from diverse backgrounds strengthen our programs and positively impact student success. We encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for consideration.
Every year more than one million people tour “the Yard” to experience what our employees already know — the United States Naval Academy is a special place, with a special purpose. Those selected for employment will find challenging and rewarding work; state-of-the-art facilities which inspire academic and athletic excellence; the benefits of Federal employment; and exceptional quality-of-life.
POSITION DESCRIPTION:
The Languages and Cultures Department invites applications for the position of Instructor (Senior Lecturer Arabic) to begin as early as summer of 2025. The anticipated teaching load is four courses per semester. The successful candidate should have expertise in foreign language pedagogy, second language acquisition, Middle East politics, or a related field. Candidates should be able to teach Arabic across all levels of proficiency. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute appropriate service to support the departmental and institutional educational mission.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Prepare for and teach assigned courses from beginning through advanced Arabic
- Assess student performance
- Advise/assist students outside of class
- Contribute to assessment of student learning outcomes
- Design and develop courses, as assigned
- Assist with management of the study abroad programs
- Participate in and contribute to governance and management of the department, programs, courses, school-level activities, yard-wide activities, as assigned
This is an onsite, 10-month compensation model, excepted service federal faculty position with a 3-year renewable appointment. The position includes full federal benefits and a highly competitive salary within the AD-01 payscale, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Please see the AD-1 payscale for salary range: https://www.usna.edu/HRO/_files/documents/Faculty_Pay_Schedule_2024.pdf
MINIMUM AND PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
MINIMUM:
- A. in linguistics, second language acquisition, foreign language pedagogy, Middle East politics, or a related field.
- 2+ years experience teaching Arabic, with preference for experience in college-level language instruction at all levels (beginning through advanced)
PREFERRED:
- Native or near-native proficiency in Arabic
- Extensive practical experience in Arabic in diplomatic, military, business, or similar context
- Prior military service, ideally as an Arabic linguist
- Commitment to inclusive pedagogy and working with a diverse student body and faculty.
HOW TO APPLY FOR POSITION:
Applicants should send the following materials to the Languages and Cultures Search Committee, at lcd-arabic-instructor-search-2025-group@usna.edu :
- Cover letter (including an affirmation of US citizenship)
- Curriculum vitae, and
- Statement of teaching philosophy (no longer than two pages)
- Contact information for 3 professional references. References will only be contacted for those in the advanced stages of the search.
After the Search Committee’s initial screening, select candidates may be asked to provide additional application materials, to include:
- Three letters of reference
- Teaching portfolio (including sample lesson plans and activities),
- Student evaluations (last two semesters), and
- If available, a link to a recent 15-minute language teaching video demo.
Please note: Applications will be reviewed beginning January 10, 2024 and the position will remain open until filled.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
- S. Citizenship Required
- All Civilian Faculty Positions at USNA are subject to a background investigation. These investigations are conducted to ensure that individuals hired are trustworthy, of good conduct, and reliable. The selected candidate will be subject to a security investigation leading to successful completion of a background investigation with a favorable adjudication. The selectee’s failure to meet this requirement will be grounds for termination. More information about the background investigation process can be found at the Academic Dean and Provost’s website here https://www.usna.edu/Academics/Faculty-Information/Background-Investigation-Info.php.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
NOTICE TO VETERANS: If you are a veteran, you are encouraged to clearly identify your Veterans’ status in your cover letter or elsewhere in your application materials. Please DO NOT provide official documentation, such as a DD-214 or any personally identifiable information, at this time.
NOTICE TO CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Separating service members will be eligible for employment to an excepted service position within 120 days of discharge given a Statement of Service can be provided. If selected, you will be required to submit a Statement of Service indicating your branch of service, rate/rank, all dates of service, your expected date of discharge and anticipated character of service (Honorable, General, etc.) The statement of service must be printed on command letterhead and signed by your command.
NOTICE TO RETIRING MILITARY: Retired service members cannot be appointed to DOD civilian positions within 180 days of retiring. As such, they must observe a 180 day waiting period starting from their date of retirement. USNA does not waive this waiting period requirement for excepted service positions.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
The Department of the Navy provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. Applicants with disabilities who believe they require reasonable accommodation should contact our Human Resource Office to ensure that the Department of the Navy can consider such requests. The decision to grant an accommodation will be made on a case by case basis.
OPTIONAL DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION REQUEST:
Applicants are invited to submit a Demographic Information on Applicants Form to rsharps@usna.edu. This form is optional. Your responses will not be shared with the hiring committee or anyone involved in the hiring process.
Announcement: LC-24-25-2
3. ONLINE Webinar: ‘Using early plant remains to understand transmission of farming eastwards through Iran into Asia’
with Hannah Caroe
British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS), 29 January, 2025, 5:00 pm UK Time
The Middle Eastern Fertile Crescent, whose eastern arc extends along the Zagros Mountains of western Iran, is renowned as a key world area for the origins of domesticated crops and livestock. Hannah’s current research focus is an interrogation of the ‘two corridors’ hypothesis for Neolithisation in Iran which suggests that, owing to Iran’s unique geomorphology (including desert and highland areas which present barriers to movement) transmission of people, animals, plants and ideas eastwards from the Zagros into Iran and, significantly, beyond into South and central Asia would have been funnelled along two ‘corridors’ to the north and south of the country respectively. She is studying charred plant remains from seven sites lying along these hypothesised routes (including in Fars and Mazandaran provinces), aiming to discern when and how Neolithic lifeways arrived in these regions, and any evidence here for de novolocal crop domestication beyond the Zagros.
Information and registration:
4. Articles for “Valonia: A Journal of Anatolian Pasts”, Vol. 2 (2025)
The journal is published by Koç University’s Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations. Appearing online and in limited print runs, the journal aims to bring forth in a timely manner selections of the latest innovative, critical, and synthetic scientific research on a broad range of subjects including the archaeology, architectural and art history, heritage, and history of Anatolia and its affiliated geographies, from deep prehistory through Late Ottoman times.
Deadline for abstracts: 1 May 2025. Information: https://valoniajournal.org/
5. Articles for the “Journal of Religious Minorities under Muslim Rule” (Brill)
Articles are invited that examine religious minorities (such as Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Hindus, and other minoritarian Muslim groups) under majoritarian Muslim rule. The journal covers the period from 7th century Arabia to 1922 (the end of Ottoman rule), in addition to a large geographic area from North Africa and al-Andalus in the West to Iran, some Central Asian lands, well into Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia in the East.
We receive manuscripts on a rolling basis, and we publish two issues per year.
Information: https://www.editorialmanager.com/rmmr/default.aspx
6. Call Extended: BRAIS 2025
Call for Papers: Annual Conference of the British Association for Islamic Studies
Monday 30 June – Tuesday 1 July 2025
Old Divinity School, St John’s College, University of Cambridge
New date: 10 January, 2025, 5pm GMT
For further information and to submit your paper or panel proposal, click here: https://www.brais.ac.uk/conferences/brais-2025-call-for-papers
If you have any questions about BRAIS 2025, they might be answered on our FAQ pager HERE .
Posted in: Academic items- December 31, 2024
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