Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology

About the role

The Department of Anthropology in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas invites applications for a tenure‑track Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology to begin August 2027. This is a standard nine‑month faculty appointment. The University of Arkansas, founded in 1871, is a land‑grant institution ranked among the nation’s top 2 % for research activity by the Carnegie Foundation, located in the welcoming community of Fayetteville, Arkansas. The position offers sponsorship availability.

Responsibilities

• Develop courses that expand the undergraduate and graduate curricula in cultural anthropology.
• Teach an upper‑level undergraduate lecture course in History of Anthropological Thought each academic year.
• Teach two courses focused on the Middle East per academic year.
• Build and maintain ties with programs and units across the College and University, such as the King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies, the Arkansas Humanities Center, the Medical Humanities minor, and other interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Allocate effort as 40 % teaching or professional performance, 40 % research/scholarly and/or creative activities, and 20 % academic service activities.
• Maintain regular, reliable, and non‑disruptive attendance; fulfill essential duties such as office hours, student advising, and participation in departmental, college, and university committee meetings.
• Foster collegial, harmonious working relationships with faculty, staff, and students.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD in anthropology from an accredited institution of higher education, conferred by May 31, 2027 (Spring semester 2027).
• An active research program focused on the cultural anthropology of the Middle East, with the potential to involve undergraduate and graduate students.
• Areas of theoretical and geographic expertise that complement and expand existing faculty strengths.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong record of successful publication and external funding in the candidate’s theoretical and/or geographic areas of expertise.
• Theoretical focus on, but not limited to, medical anthropology, new media technologies/popular culture, or political economy.
• Teaching experience as instructor‑of‑record at the college level in cultural anthropology or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to develop innovative undergraduate and graduate classes that complement and expand current offerings in cultural anthropology.
• Strong evidence of the ability to be an active, involved, and collegial member of a collaborative faculty team both on campus and in relevant national service organizations.

Benefits

• University contributions to health, dental, life, and disability insurance.
• Tuition waivers for employees and their families.
• 12 official holidays.
• Immediate leave accrual.
• Choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 % to 10 % of employee salary.