The John Singer Visiting Professorship in Judaic Studies

Tufts University; Medford (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Program in Judaic Studies at Tufts University invites applications for the inaugural John Singer Visiting Professorship in Judaic Studies. The annual theme is Modern Hebrew and Israeli Literature, and the appointment supports teaching, research, and engagement with students and faculty.

Two tracks are available: Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow (two semesters) or Visiting Associate Professor (one semester).

Qualifications

• PhD in Judaic Studies or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Teach one course each semester (Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow).
• Deliver a public lecture (Visiting Associate Professor).
• Participate in interdisciplinary scholarly community with religion, history, literature, philosophy, political thought, and cultural studies.

Education

PhD in Judaic Studies or related field

Job description

The Program in Judaic Studies at Tufts University invites applications for the inaugural John Singer Visiting Professorship in Judaic Studies.

Established to foster a deeper understanding of Jewish history, culture, literature, and intellectual life, the John Singer Visiting Professorship brings distinguished and emerging scholars to Tufts for teaching, research, and engagement with students and faculty. The annual theme for the inaugural appointment is Modern Hebrew and Israeli Literature.

We seek a scholar whose work explores modern Hebrew and Israeli literary and cultural production and whose research illuminates the relationship between literature and broader questions of Jewish history, religion, language, politics, and identity. We welcome applications from scholars working in Modern Hebrew Literature, Israeli Literature, Comparative Literature, Modern Languages and Literatures, Cultural Studies, Jewish Studies, or related fields.

Particularly welcome are scholars whose work examines one or more of the following:

• The rise of Hebrew as a modern literary and vernacular language
• Modern Hebrew literature and the classical Jewish textual tradition
• Israeli literature and culture
• Hebrew literature and political imagination
• Hebrew literature in comparative and global perspective
• Questions of language revival, multilingualism, and translation

Appointment Structures

The search will proceed on two parallel tracks. The Program intends to make one appointment, with the final structure determined by the strength and character of the applicant pool.

Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow (Academic Year Appointment to begin September 1, 2027)

The successful candidate will hold a two-semester appointment, teach one course each semester, and participate in a smaller faculty workshop during the academic year.

Visiting Associate Professor (One-Semester Appointment; Fall or Spring Semester)

The successful candidate will hold a one‑semester appointment, teach one course, and deliver a public lecture connected to the annual theme.

Salary and appointment details will be determined according to the appointment structure.

Teaching Responsibilities

All candidates should be prepared to teach the following course:

The Making of Modern Hebrew Culture

This course should introduce students to the emergence of Hebrew as a modern literary and vernacular language and explore the literary, cultural, and political developments associated with modern Hebrew culture. The course should examine the transformation of Hebrew from a classical language of textual tradition into a medium of modern literature, public discourse, and national culture.

Possible Topics Include

• The Hebrew Enlightenment (Haskalah)
• The revival of spoken Hebrew
• The development of modern Hebrew poetry and fiction
• The relationship between modern Hebrew literature and classical Jewish texts
• Modern Jewish nationalism and cultural revival
• Israeli literature and political imagination
• Contemporary Israeli literary culture

For candidates appointed to the year‑long postdoctoral track, an additional course will be designed around the candidate's area of scholarly specialization.

Because Judaic Studies at Tufts is an interdisciplinary program, we especially encourage applicants whose work engages neighboring fields and who are excited to participate in a broader intellectual community that includes scholars of religion, history, literature, philosophy, political thought, and cultural studies.

Tufts University, founded in 1852, prioritizes quality teaching, highly competitive basic and applied research, and a commitment to active citizenship locally, regionally, and globally.

Tufts University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. See the University’s Non-Discrimination statement and policy here https://oeo.tufts.edu/policies-procedures/non-discrimination/. If you are an applicant with a disability who is unable to use our online tools to search and apply for jobs, please contact us by calling the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) at 617-627-3298 or at [e-mail]. Applicants can learn more about requesting reasonable accommodations at https://oeo.tufts.edu/