Assistant Professor of Media, Culture, & Identity (Reducing Inequalities Cohort)

Job Summary:

The Department of Communication Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison invites applications for a tenure-track position at the assistant professor level in the field of media, culture, and identity beginning in August 2025. The successful candidate will have a primary appointment and tenure home in the Department of Communication Arts, will teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students, will engage in scholarly research, and will participate in university and professional service. Research specialization will focus on media and social inequalities, in areas such as representations of marginalized groups in relation to race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and/or disability; the role of media in social movements and activism; and/or social inequalities in relation to digital media. Research could also connect to the use of media narratives and/or technologies to address social inequalities.

The successful candidate will advance the educational mission of the College of Letters & Science that values, prioritizes, and actualizes evidence-based and student-centered teaching and student mentoring. Our understanding of mentoring is expansive and includes a wide range of practices, such as: offering undergraduate research opportunities, advising graduate students, connecting students with professional networks, creating an inclusive learning environment, offering culturally responsive guidance and support, facilitating peer mentorship initiatives, and other activities.

This position is part of UW-Madison's Excellence in Mentoring Initiative and the College of Letters & Science's "Reducing Social Inequalities" Cohort. The Excellence in Mentoring Initiative is designed to recruit outstanding faculty who, in addition to their demonstrated excellence or strong potential in research and teaching, have demonstrated the ability and commitment to mentor first-generation and/or underrepresented undergraduate or graduate students to help them achieve academic success. The "Reducing Social Inequalities" Cohort in Letters & Science brings together three scholars from the fields of Sociology, Social Work, and Communication Arts who share a commitment to nurturing and developing the next generation of scholars who share an academic focus and pedagogical commitment to reducing social inequalities. While their individual research areas will remain independent, members of the cohort will be encouraged to engage in cross-disciplinary research communities and regularly connect with their fellow cohort members for support and continued success.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will have a primary appointment and tenure home in the Department of Communication Arts, will teach undergraduate and graduate students, will engage in scholarly research, and will participate in university and professional service. They will provide ongoing mentorship to first-generation and/or underrepresented undergraduate and/or graduate students to help them achieve academic success. As a member of the College of Letters & Science, they will proactively contribute to, support, and advance the college's commitment to equity among all aspects of their teaching, mentoring, research, and service.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Education:

Required
PhD in the field of Communication or similar by start of appointment.

Qualifications:

Candidates should demonstrate evidence of or the potential for excellence in scholarly research, teaching, and mentoring first-generation and/or underrepresented undergraduate or graduate students. In addition, the successful candidate will demonstrate experience with fostering or the ability to foster an inclusive and equity-centered teaching, learning, departmental, and research environment where all can thrive.

Work Type:

Full Time: 100%

It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Ongoing/Renewable

Anticipated Begin Date:

AUGUST 18, 2025

Salary:

Negotiable