Bard Prison Initiative

Borough of Brooklyn Chair for the Study of History and Culture

Apply Here: https://apply.interfolio.com/158938

The Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) invites applications from distinguished scholars for the Borough of Brooklyn Chair for the Study of History and Culture. This endowed faculty position will advance student and public engagement in the rich history and diverse cultural heritage of Brooklyn through rigorous academic inquiry and artistic and literary appreciation. A Ph.D. in history, American studies, art history, anthropology, sociology, or a related field is expected, as is a strong record of scholarly research and publication or artistic or literary production. This one- or two-year full-time position starts July 1, 2025 with teaching responsibilities beginning in the fall semester.

The Chair will teach a 2-2 course load, including writing intensive courses and one or more courses specifically focused on Brooklyn and New York City.  Additional responsibilities include advising students, organizing and participating in public lectures to promote awareness and discussion of Brooklyn’s history and culture, and collaborating with staff to enhance student and community engagement. Courses will be offered at the Bard Microcollege at Brooklyn Public Library and at the Bard Microcollege for Just Community Leadership in Harlem.

Successful candidates will be committed to innovative undergraduate teaching at a liberal arts college with a diverse student body; excel at working in a community that is broadly diverse with regard to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, nationality, sexual orientation and religion; maintain an active research program; and be excited by rigorous, discussion-heavy and writing-based courses that center inclusive pedagogy and demand active participation of all students.

The Bard Microcollege at Brooklyn Public Library brings full-time, tuition-free college opportunity to the heart of Brooklyn, where enrolled students earn an associate in arts degree by studying the liberal arts in a community-based, seminar setting at Central Library. The Borough of Brooklyn Chair for the Study of History and Culture continues BPI’s efforts of creating a unique, borough-based college for undergraduates of every age by fostering a deeper understanding of how Brooklyn’s past and present shape our cultural moment and give rise to the borough’s future.

Consideration will be given to candidates who bring considerable experience and expertise to the position but who cannot commit to a full-time position. In this situation, salary is prorated and benefits eligibility depends on teaching load.

About BPI
Formed in 1999 to address the mass incarceration crisis, the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) defies expectations of who college is for and where it might lead. For over twenty years, BPI has reimagined and redefined questions of availability, affordability, and expectations typically associated with college in America. One of the most rigorous and effective college-in-prison programs in the country, BPI is now extending its radical intervention in educational inequity outside of prison through the Bard Microcolleges and BardBac. BPI currently enrolls nearly 600 students across eleven campuses.

To Apply
To apply, please send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, teaching statement, and the names of three references who might speak to your teaching and collegiality to Interfolio at https://apply.interfolio.com/158938.

Review of applications to begin January 10, 2025.

Compensation $120,000
This salary reflects the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the compensation for the position at the time of the job posting. Salary decisions are dependent on several factors including but not limited to market and organizational considerations, experience, and qualifications of a selected candidate as well as internal and external equity.

Benefits Overview
We are pleased to offer our full-time employees an excellent benefit package which includes; multiple health insurance options; TIAA retirement plans; generous vacation, sick, and personal time; and more. To learn more about employee benefits and eligibility at Bard College, please visit https://www.bard.edu/humanresources/benefits/.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Bard College is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from those who contribute to our diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, mental, or physical disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, familial status, veteran status, or genetic information.

Bard is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for all individuals in employment practices, services, programs, and activities.

AA/EOE