Great Books in Political Thought and Constitutionalism (Associate/Full Professor)

University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin invites applications for full-time tenured faculty positions at the associate or full professor level in the Great Books, with a focus on political thought and constitutionalism. Successful candidates will teach in a discussion-based Great Books curriculum and may hold affiliations with the Thomas Jefferson Center.

Appointments begin in Fall 2027, with opportunities for endowed chairs and cross-departmental appointments.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a field related to the Great Books.
• Pedagogy and scholarship aligned with the School's mission of educating citizens for freedom in its multiple senses.
• Interdisciplinary teaching and collaboration with affiliated centers are desirable.

Responsibilities

• Teach in the School's discussion-based Great Books curriculum, using close reading of primary texts.
• Contribute to the School's core curriculum and to the interdisciplinary PhD program in Civic Thought.
• Engage with affiliated programs at the Thomas Jefferson Center and related initiatives.

Education

Ph.D. in a field related to the Great Books

Job description

Great Books in Political Thought and Constitutionalism (Associate/Full Professor)

College/School/Unit: School of Civic Leadership

Posted: Oct 26, 2026

Apply By: Open until filled

Description

The School of Civic Leadership at The University of Texas at Austin
(UT Austin), in partnership with the Thomas Jefferson Center for
the Study of Core Texts and Ideas invites applications for
full-time tenured faculty positions at the associate or full
professor level in the Great Books, with a field in political
thought and constitutionalism.

Exceptional candidates will be eligible for endowed chairs and
professorships. Successful candidates' primary appointments will be
in the School of Civic Leadership, with affiliations in the Thomas
Jefferson Center. The possibility of partial appointments in the
disciplinary department may also be explored. Appointments will
begin in Fall 2027.

Successful candidates will teach in the School's discussion-based
Great Books curriculum, centered on close reading of primary texts.
Courses are conducted as small seminars and discussion sections in
which students engage directly with foundational, wisdom‑seeking
works in and between a range of disciplines: political thought,
philosophy, literature, religious studies, history, and the liberal
arts broadly. Candidates will also contribute to the overall core
curriculum.

The School of Civic Leadership at The University of Texas at Austin
prepares students for leadership in a free society through rigorous
education and scholarship. Its dual mission is to equip students
with the knowledge and aptitudes to lead public and private
institutions and to produce research of the highest scholarly
quality.

Building on its Civics Honors major, the School will launch a Great
Books major in Fall 2027 in partnership with the Thomas Jefferson
Center for the Study of Core Texts and Ideas. The School is also
developing an interdisciplinary PhD program in Civic Thought.

Housed in the College of Liberal Arts, the Thomas Jefferson Center
advances the close study of foundational texts through its
Jefferson Scholars Program, Core Texts and Ideas Certificate, and
Civic Thought Initiative. Its programs encourage students to
examine their beliefs, broaden their understanding of others, and
engage in thoughtful, respectful dialogue.

Qualifications

We seek outstanding candidates with a Ph.D. in a field related to
the Great Books whose pedagogy and scholarship speak to the School
of Civic Leadership's core mission of educating citizens for
freedom in its multiple senses: economic, political, and
intellectual.

We are especially interested in work in the history of political thought from antiquity to the present:

• The founders of ancient and modern political philosophy;
• The medieval traditions of political thought;
• The Renaissance and early modernity;
• Critiques of modernity; and
• The essential documents of American constitutionalism (for
  example, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, The
  Federalist, and the Lincoln-Douglas debates); together with the
  broader tradition of American political thought, read in light of
  enduring questions of political life and human nature.

More broadly, we are interested in work that inquires into
expressions of Western civilization that have become central to the
American civic experience:

• The roots of the West in Athens and Jerusalem;
• Roman law;
• American letters;
• Works of literature, art, architecture, music, and
  science;
• Reflections on politics and civic life; and
• Moral reflection.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal
opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all
applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and
affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of
equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex,
sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability,
religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and
activities, and admissions.