Queen’s National Scholar in Indigenous Literary Arts

Queen's University; Kingston; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Queen's University invites applications for a Queen’s National Scholar position in Indigenous Literary Arts aimed at Indigenous writers. This full-time, tenure-track position seeks candidates with a strong track record in both creative and scholarly contributions to Indigenous literature, welcoming diverse forms of engagement with Indigenous communities. Candidates will contribute to teaching in the English department and the Indigenous Studies program, emphasizing creativity, collaboration, and social relevance in their work.

Benefits

Benefits package including prescription drugs, vision care, and dental care

Employee and Family Assistance Program

Tuition assistance for qualifying employees and dependents

Pension plan participation

Top-up to government parental leave benefits

Partial reimbursement for daycare expenses

Qualifications

• Strong record of publication in Indigenous literary arts across mediums.
• Potential for excellence in teaching and community engagement.
• Established ties to Indigenous community(ies) and the ability to confirm identity.

Responsibilities

• Develop and teach courses in Indigenous literary arts and studies.
• Engage in research and creative projects aligned with Indigenous perspectives.
• Contribute to interdisciplinary programs within the university.

Skills

Creativity

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Cultural Awareness

Education

Doctoral or MFA degree (desired)

Job description

Queen’s National Scholar Position in Indigenous Literary ArtsThe Department of English at Queen’s University, in collaboration with the Indigenous StudiesProgram and the Dan School of Drama and Music, invites applications for a Queen’s NationalScholar position in Indigenous Literary Arts. We invite applications from Indigenous writersworking in any medium of cultural production, as well as those engaged in Indigenous literaryscholarship. Those who work in both artistic production and critical scholarship are particularlyencouraged to apply. The position is a full-time tenure-track/tenured position at Assistant Professoror early Associate Professor rank, with a preferred starting date of July 1, 2024. The QNS inIndigenous Literary Arts is one of seven QNS positions being recruited this year in support ofQueen’s interdisciplinary Indigenous Studies Program and new Major and Joint-Honours inIndigenous Studies. Further information on the Queen’s National Scholar Program can be found onthe website of the Office of the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) at:Applicants must be Indigenous persons with clear and demonstrable ties to (an) Indigenouscommunity(ies). Applicants will be required to provide materials that confirm their Indigenousidentity. In accordance with the Hiring of Indigenous Specific Positions – Interim Policy, shortlistedapplicants will be required to provide materials that confirm their Indigenous identity, which will beverified prior to being invited for an interview. Only applicants whose identities have been positivelyverified will proceed to the interview stage of the hiring process.We seek applications from Indigenous literary artists and scholars with strong records ofpublication who work in any medium or genre, including but not limited to orature, theory, poetry,prose, theatre, performance, screenwriting, creative non-fiction, graphic literature, digital media,gaming, and academic and/or community-engaged scholarship. We expect applicants’ creativeand/or scholarly work to address some of the following fields: Indigenous resurgence; Indigenousand/or queer and Two-Spirit theory; critical race studies and antiracism; solidarity work; andintersectional politics. Those artists and scholars working in Indigenous languages are especiallyencouraged to apply, as are those whose work engages with anti-colonial solidarities. Candidates forthis position must demonstrate records of creative and/or critical excellence, as registered byscholarly publications and/or a creative portfolio, combined with evidence of potential forexcellence in teaching. As we recognize that creative artists often take non-academic pathways toachieving renown, completed doctoral or MFA degrees are desired assets for the position but notmandatory. Applicants are welcome to share qualifications beyond academic credentials, includingcommunity and/or traditional knowledge and relevant lived experience.As a Queen’s National Scholar, the ideal candidate will clearly demonstrate three main attributes:

1) Potential for excellence in providing rich and rewarding learning experiences tostudents;2) Excellence in developing innovative, collaborative or interdisciplinary researchand/or creative programs that align with Queen’s strategic priorities; and3) A demonstrated commitment to the principles of Indigenization, equity, diversity,inclusion, anti-racism, and accessibility.

Further information on teaching and research priorities at Queen’s is available in the Queen’sStrategy and the Queen’s Strategic Research Plan.The main criteria for selection are academic, creative, and teaching excellence. The successfulcandidate will provide evidence of high-quality scholarly output that demonstrates potential forindependent research leading to peer-assessed, public-facing, and/or creative publications and thesecuring of external funding, as well as strong potential for outstanding teaching contributions atboth the undergraduate and graduate levels, and an ongoing commitment to academic andpedagogical excellence in support of the department’s programs. Candidates must provide evidenceof an ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and student-centred environment. Thesuccessful candidate will also be expected to make contributions through service to the Department,the Faculty, the University, and/or the broader community. Salary will be commensurate withqualifications and experience.It is expected that the successful candidate will contribute to teaching and/or service opportunitieswithin the Indigenous Studies Program in coordination with their home unit(s). Indigenous Studiesat Queen’s (INDG) is hosted by the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures and isanchored in language, cultural, and land-based education. The program launched as a Minor in 2013and added a Major and Joint-Honours in 2022, and it features a dynamic and growing list of coursesfrom diverse units across the Faculty of Arts & Science. INDG currently has two Indigenoustenure-track faculty members and is overseen by the Indigenous Studies Program SteeringCommittee, comprised of faculty, staff, students, and community members. The QNS will join acore of people committed to centring Indigenous knowledges and perspectives as INDG continuesto grow and flourish. More information is available atPrior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (includingcontractors) to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status and provide proof that they were fullyvaccinated or had an approved accommodation to engage in in-person University activities. Theserequirements were suspended effective May 1, 2022, but the University may reinstate them at anypoint.People from across Canada and around the world come to learn, teach, and carry out research atQueen’s University. Faculty and their dependents are eligible for an extensive benefits packageincluding prescription drug coverage, vision care, dental care, long term disability insurance, lifeinsurance, and access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program. You will also participate in apension plan. Tuition assistance is available for qualifying employees, their spouses, and dependentchildren. Queen’s values families and is pleased to provide a ‘top up’ to government parental leavebenefits for eligible employees on maternity/parental leave. In addition, Queen’s provides partialreimbursement for eligible daycare expenses for employees with dependent children in daycare.Details are set out in the Queen’s-QUFA Collective Agreement. For more information on employeebenefits, see Queen’s Human Resources.Additional information about Queen’s University can be found on the Faculty Recruitment andSupport website. Queen’s University is a leading Canadian medical doctoral institution with over27,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Millions of dollars of support from SSHRC, NSERC

https://www.queensu.ca/strategy/

https://www.queensu.ca/strategy/

and CIHR support leading-edge research across domains of inquiry. The Office of IndigenousInitiatives builds community, advances reconciliation, and integrates Indigenous ways of knowingand being into the fabric and life of the university. Researchers at Queen’s have many existingnetworks with Indigenous communities and researchers locally and from across Turtle Island. TheUniversity is situated on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe, inhistoric Kingston on the shores of Lake Ontario. Kingston’s residents enjoy a high quality of lifewith a wide range of cultural, recreational, and creative opportunities, with access to many naturalareas and proximity to vibrant First Nations Communities including Tyendinaga and Akwesasne.Kingston is also home to a vibrant and growing urban Indigenous community, supported by urbanIndigenous organizations dedicated to Indigenous cultural revitalization and social support. The cityis near Frontenac Provincial Park, the Thousand Islands National Park, and the Frontenac ArchUNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The Queen’s University Biological Station, north of the city,encompasses 34 km2 of diverse lands, affording premier learning and research opportunities. VisitInclusive Queen’s for information on equity, diversity and inclusion resources and initiatives.

The Department of English at Queen’s constitutes a dynamic intellectual community of scholars,creative artists, undergraduate and graduate students, dedicated staff, alumni, and communityaffiliates. Our curriculum complements historical breadth for students with cultural, geographic,generic, and methodological diversity. Our research and teaching marshal the creative and criticaldexterity of literary arts to engage with the most pressing issues of our time—climate crisis, antiracism, gender and sexual oppression, decolonization—across diverse geographies and historical eras. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to teach in the Creative WritingProgram, which includes a scaffolded workshop-based curriculum and upper-year capstone

Queen’s University has developed a Targeted Hiring Policy and Procedure in accordance withguidelines on Special Programs by the Ontario Human Rights Commission. The Targeted HiringPolicy and Procedure will be applied to fill the QNS in Indigenous Literary Arts position.In accordance with the University’s Employment Equity Program and pursuant to Section 141 of theOntario Human Rights Code (OHRC), the QNS in Indigenous Literary Arts is open only toqualified individuals who are Indigenous persons with clear and demonstrable ties to Indigenouscommunity(ies shortlisted applicants will be required to provide documents confirming theirIndigenous identity in accordance with the Hiring of Indigenous Specific Positions – Interim Policy.Documentation will be verified prior to being invited to interview. The requirement for applicants tobe an Indigenous person will assist Queen’s University in addressing the underrepresentation ofIndigenous Scholars at the university. Engaging Indigenous scholars will enable Indigenousexperiences and community connections to enlighten and enrich the University, academia, andstudent experiences at Queen’s. It is also an opportunity to correct the historic underrepresentationRecognizing the intersectionality of identities within Indigenous communities, applications fromIndigenous candidates who also identify as women, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+

1 Please also note that Under Section 14 of the OHRC, it is not discrimination to put in place a special hiring program ifit is designed to:

• Relieve hardship or economic disadvantage• Help disadvantaged people or groups to achieve, or try to achieve, equal opportunity or

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https://www.queensu.ca/english/

https://www.queensu.ca/english/creative-writing

https://www.queensu.ca/english/creative-writing

persons will be welcome. All applicants will be invited to self-identify once they have applied; thosewho wish to be considered under our employment equity provisions are required to self-identify.Self-identification information will be held in confidence by the Human Rights and Equity Officeand one member of the hiring committee. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however,Canadians, permanent residents, and Indigenous applicants under Section 35(2) of the ConstitutionAct, 1982 will be given priority.In addition, the impact of certain circumstances that may legitimately affect a nominee’s record ofresearch and/or creative achievement will be given careful consideration when assessing thenominee’s research productivity. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant informationabout their experience and/or career interruptions.A complete application consists of:

• a cover letter (including a statement that the candidate has reviewed the Hiring of IndigenousSpecific Positions – Interim Policy and will submit documentation for verification if selected toproceed to the interview stage);

• a current Curriculum Vitae (including a list of publications, awards, and grants received);• three samples of or excerpts from creative, scholarly, and/or publicly engaged publications

(between 20 and 50 pages in total);• an artist’s statement or a statement of scholarly/creative interests and experience;• a teaching dossier; and• three letters of reference sent directly to Sam McKegney at [e-mail]; at least

one letter must be at arm’s length. Reference letters should be dated and include the referee’sname, position, institution, email address, and telephone number, the name of the nominee,and the period of time and capacity in which the referee has known the nominee.

The deadline for applications is January 26th, 2024.Applicants are encouraged to send all documents in their application packages electronically asPDFs to Sam McKegney at [e-mail], although hard-copy applications may besubmitted to:

Sam McKegney, Professor and HeadDepartment of EnglishQueen’s UniversityKingston, OntarioCANADA K7L 3N6

The University will provide support in its recruitment processes through accommodation for anapplicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation during the interview process,please contact Sam McKegney at [e-mail] staff at Queen’s University are governed by a Collective Agreement between theUniversity and the Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA), which is posted athttps://www.queensu.ca/facultyrelations/qufa/collective-agreements-lous-moas and at

https://www.queensu.ca/facultyrelations/qufa/collective-agreements-lous-moas

http://www.qufa.ca/

https://www.queensu.ca/facultyrelations/qufa/collective-agreements-lous-moas

http://www.qufa.ca/

Appointments are subject to review and final approval by the Principal. Candidates holding anexisting tenure-track or continuing-adjunct appointment at Queen’s will not be considered.