GSI Open Position – Judaic 290 (0.25 Appointment)

Hiring Department: Frankel Center for Judaic Studies
Appointment Period: Winter term 2014
Appointment Fraction:  25% - estimated minimum

Posting Number: 89521

How to Apply
Apply through umjobs.org. Sign in and complete application online.

Please send an electronic copy of your application form, resume, cover letter, UM academic transcripts, course evaluations from any courses taught, and a letter of recommendation from the faculty director of the program of study to judaicstudies@umich.edu. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experiences that directly relate to this position.

Please send all application materials to:
Frankel Center for Judaic Studies
Attn: Brittin Jones
Email: judaicstudies@umich.edu
Ph: 734-763-9047

Course Description: Judaic 290 – Jews and Muslims
In present-day America, the subject of Jews and Muslims is usually evoked in the context of the crisis in the Middle East.  The juxtaposition of “Jew” and “Muslim,” or “Jew” and “Arab,” often invokes hatred, war, and violence.  But the history of Jewish-Muslim relations goes back much further than the creation of the state of Israel or even the emergence of Zionism.  Jews and Muslims have been in intimate contact since the rise of Islam in the seventh century, and Jews have lived in the Islamic World continuously since then.  This course explores the deep history of relations between Jews and Muslims and the experience of Jews living in the Islamic world.  Through a selection of secondary sources and close readings of primary sources (including sacred texts, literature, philosophy, letters, film, and memoirs), we will examine a number of themes, including: how Jewish culture influenced the development of Islam and vice versa; the roles of law and commerce in shaping Jewish-Muslim relations; the impact of European imperialism and modernization on Jewish-Muslim relations in the Middle East; Jewish and Muslim identity in the twentieth century; and the departure of most Jews from Muslim-majority countries for Israel, Europe, and the Americas.

Description of Duties
• Class Preparation
• Leading discussion sections
• Administering quizzes and other assignments
• Office hours and Tutoring
• Meetings and consultation with other Professors and GSIs

Selection Criteria and Minimum Qualifications
• Relevant academic preparation for teaching the course material
• Extent of prior instructional experience
• Student evaluations
• Relevance to graduate training
• Graduate student in the last stages of the program
• Good standing in the University
• Strong preference will be given to applicants who are full-time students in a UM graduate-level degree program and who have prior experience as a GSI.

Desired Qualifications
• Previous experience as GSI, with favorable student evaluations
• Previous experience teaching this or related course in  Judaic Studies

Selection Process
Candidates will be evaluated based on the strength of their application.  A selection criterion includes relevant experience, academic record, teaching evaluations, enrollment demand, and faculty preference based on qualifications.  The department reserves the right to cancel the appointment due to low enrollment figures.

Application Deadline: 11/29/2013
Selection Decisions: 12/13/2013

All GSI appointments are subject to administrative approval. The department reserves the right to cancel the appointment due to low enrollment figures.  The Frankel Center for Judaic Studies and the University will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, familial status, parental status or pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, height, weight, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, HIV antibody status, political belief, membership in any social or political organization, participation in a grievance or complaint whether formal or informal, or any other factor where the item in question will not interfere with job performance and where the employee is otherwise qualified. The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and 6 regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.” Contact information of the Office of Institutional Equity or ombudsperson will also be listed.  Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings. Upon request, any applicant denied employment will receive, within fourteen (14) calendar days, a written explanation of the reasons for denial of employment. An applicant denied employment may request an in person interview with the hiring agent(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time. In the event an Employee does not receive his or her preferred assignment, he or she can request a written explanation or an in person interview with the hiring agent(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time. This position, as posted, is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees’ Organization, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO 3550.