Assistant Professor-Theories of Civil Society and Civil Discourse

About the role

The Center for American Civic Leadership and Public Discourse promotes the dialogic, cultural, and civic literacies essential to a well‑ordered and flourishing American polity. Its mission includes education in American history and civics; the cultivation of a lifelong love of learning; and an understanding and appreciation of our founding documents and the philosophic, political, literary, and religious traditions from which they emerged. The Department of Political Science is a research‑active, collegial, and growing department with more than 1,000 undergraduate majors across its Bachelor of Arts programs in Political Science and International Studies. At the graduate level, the department offers a Ph.D. in Political Science, as well as master’s degrees in Public Administration and International Studies. The University of South Carolina system comprises eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state, serving more than 50,000 students and emphasizing service to build healthier, more educated communities. The position is a nine‑month, full‑time, tenure‑track Assistant Professor of Political Science, beginning August 16, 2027, with an appointment in the Department of Political Science.

Responsibilities

• Hold an appointment in the Department of Political Science.
• Conduct research examining the norms, practices, and institutions that sustain a flourishing and pluralistic civil society, as well as the responsibilities of citizens within it.
• Engage with the historical traditions of American civic thought and bring these resources to bear on contemporary issues of public discourse, political polarization, and civic engagement.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to the Center’s mission as described above.

Requirements

A Ph.D. in Political Science or a closely related field is required by the start date.

Qualifications

We seek candidates with well‑conceived, theoretically informed research agendas who have the potential to publish, or have published, in high‑impact professional journals.

Benefits

• Health and Life Insurance
• Retirement Programs
• Paid Tuition
• Dependent Scholarships
• Annual Leave
• Sick Leave
• 13 Paid Holidays (including an extended December holiday)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Professional Development Opportunities

Schedule

This is a nine‑month, full‑time, tenure‑track faculty