BCAS - Associate Professor/Full Professor and Department Chair of American Culture & Society –530859

Department/Organization
204281 - American Culture & Society

Rank
Associate/Full Professor

Position Summary
The Barefield College of Arts and Sciences seeks applications for the position of Chair of the Department of American Culture & Society, with appointment to begin August 1, 2027.

Detailed Position Information
The University of Alabama is now accepting applications for an administrative faculty position as Chair of the Department of American Culture and Society. The Department of American Culture and Society was formed in January 2026 by combining the Departments of Gender and Race Studies and American Studies. The BA and MA programs of both interdisciplinary programs have been at the University of Alabama for more than forty years. Offering an undergraduate major in either African American Studies or American Studies, minors in both areas, as well as undergraduate minors in Women's Studies, Southern Studies, and Sociology and MA programs in Women’s Studies and American Studies, the new Department fulfills an important academic mission for the University. The Department provides courses that enroll more than 11000 students a year. Students graduating from the MA program in American Studies or in Women's Studies regularly go on to attend top-tier PhD programs in a variety of disciplines, work in successful non-profit organizations, or complete advanced professional degrees in a variety of areas. This is an interdisciplinary department where faculty teach and conduct research in their respective field of expertise, while also actively participating in writing groups, seminars, and a successful speaker series conducted in the Department.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership
● Demonstrate knowledge of the diverse fields (African American Studies, American Studies, Women’s Studies, Southern Studies, and Sociology) represented within the department, with interdisciplinary experience or perspective valued
● Critically understands the importance, stakes, and history of the disciplines in the department, and proactively a proponent for the department’s interests
Community & Engagement
● Builds a strong and supportive departmental community among faculty, staff, and students
● Promotes meaningful student engagement with the department and its disciplines
● Works to strengthen relationships and a shared sense of purpose within the department
Personnel Support
● Listens to and responds thoughtfully to the needs and concerns of faculty at all career stages
● Communicates the value, contributions, and relevance of the department’s disciplines to audiences within and beyond the University
Department Operations
● Makes strategic decisions about departmental resources that align with the department's academic mission, faculty, staff, and students
● Experience in managing department budgets responsibly and transparently.
Curriculum & Research
● Maintains involvement in research and teaching
● Establishes/maintains a system for overseeing curriculum development and program assessment activities in collaboration with faculty

Minimum Qualifications
Tenured faculty appointment in African American Studies, American Studies, Sociology, Women’s Studies, or related fields with interdisciplinary training/experience. Demonstrated record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and professional service.

Preferred Qualifications
- Demonstrated leadership skills to support collaboration, transparency, and shared governance - Experience in interdisciplinary collaboration, community building, and student engagement - Evidence of mentoring faculty and facilitating successful applications for faculty retention, promotion, tenure, and post-tenure - Demonstrated experience leading and coordinating innovative recruitment strategies for student enrollment and retention

Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Candidate should provide the following: 1. Letter of interest outlining qualifications; 2. Statement on leadership and interdisciplinarity; 3. Current CV, including a list of three references with contact information. Direct any questions to search committee chair Dr. Sara-Maria Sorentino (ssorentino@ua.edu) and vice-chair Dr. Brooke Thomas (bthomas24@ua.edu). Review of applications will begin on November 15, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled.

About the Division/College/School
The J. Frank Barefield Jr. College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Alabama offers an exciting and dynamic environment for faculty seeking to make an impact in their field and in the lives of the innovators and changemakers of tomorrow.

As the largest college at The University, we house over 9,000 students and 1,000 faculty and staff across our 22 departments.

With nationally recognized programs and award-winning faculty, our College has positioned itself as a leader in higher education. Our facilities and resources include state-of-the-art laboratories, research centers, and performance venues, providing students with hands-on learning experiences and opportunities for research and creative expression.

The College is committed to the liberal arts philosophy that fosters creative and critical thinking and a lifetime of learning.”

About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure’s 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation’s premier universities, UA offers bachelor’s, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.

In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.

UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.

For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine’s list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review’s list of Top Value Colleges.

UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.

Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., “The Alabama Research Institutes”), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.

The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation’s most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.

Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf) discrimination is illegal poster.

The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.

Advertised: 14 Oct 2026 Central Daylight Time
Applications close: 01 Aug 2027 Central Daylight Time

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