Department/Organization
204261 - Religious Studies

Rank
Assistant Professor

Position Summary
The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the area of the Computational Study of Religion, beginning August 2025.

Detailed Position Information
The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the area of the Computational Study of Religion, beginning August 2025.

Areas of specialization (historic period, region, or group studied) are open; however, the successful candidate must complement and enhance the current specialties of the Department to understand religion as an element of culture. The candidate's research should be articulated as part of a broader scholarly attempt to answer cross-cultural questions related to identity, power, and discourse using computational and/or data science methods and theories. This position will enhance the continued development of the Digital Humanities portion of our BA and MA programs. Currently, we are expanding computational and digital humanities offerings in our BA program. Our MA in Religion in Culture is a cutting-edge program, unique in the nation, that trains students in digital skills for both analysis of data and presentation of research. This position will also be affiliated with the REL Digital Lab (RELdl), a collaborative space for the development of digital projects within the Department.

While a variety of digital specialties are potentially relevant, the Department is especially looking for a scholar with demonstrated expertise in computational and data science methods such as, but not limited to, Natural Language Processing, text analysis, network analysis, GIS, and machine learning approaches to analyze medium and large data sets from the US or broader global contexts. Along with such digital expertise, the Department also seeks a scholar with an active research trajectory that will enhance the research portfolio of the RELdl.

The successful candidate will contribute to the department’s curriculum in digital studies of religion by teaching existing undergraduate and graduate courses and proposing new courses within their expertise. At times, the successful candidate may also teach courses ranging from introductory/lower- and upper-level B.A. courses to graduate seminars on a variety of analytic topics related to their historical and/or ethnographic area(s) of specialization. All faculty are also expected to supervise M.A. students in the Religion in Culture program when student interests intersect with faculty expertise.

While ABD candidates will be considered, the PhD must be in hand by the start date to be appointed as an Assistant Professor. The committee welcomes applications from candidates with training in the academic study of religion as carried out in a public university, but will also entertain pertinent training in related fields (e.g., sociology, history, media studies, American studies, philosophy, literature, anthropology, etc.), as long as expertise in studying and teaching computational methods and social theory are evident. Applicants should demonstrate an active and ongoing research agenda, mention current and future computational projects, highlight their teaching experience, and make readily apparent their ability to contribute to the life of an academic department in the areas of service and collaboration.

Review of applications will begin on January 3, 2025. Applicants are required to apply online, submitting a cover letter, C.V. (with links to examples of digital research, if available), writing sample, and contact information for three references. Selected applicants will subsequently be asked to provide letters of recommendation, and the committee will then hold online meetings with a small number of candidates before identifying finalists to be brought to campus for interviews.

For information, please contact
Dr. Richard Newton
Chair, Computational Study of Religion Search Committee
Department of Religious Studies
212 Presidents Hall
P.O. Box 870264
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0264
rwnewton@ua.edu

Minimum Qualifications
While ABD candidates will be considered, the PhD must be in hand by the start date to be appointed as an Assistant Professor.

Preferred Qualifications
The committee welcomes applications from candidates with training in the academic study of religion as carried out in a public university, but will also entertain pertinent training in related fields (e.g., sociology, history, media studies, American studies, philosophy, literature, anthropology, etc.), as long as expertise in studying and teaching computational methods and social theory are evident. Applicants should demonstrate an active and ongoing research agenda, mention current and future computational projects, highlight their teaching experience, and make readily apparent their ability to contribute to the life of an academic department in the areas of service and collaboration.

Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Applicants are required to apply online, submitting a cover letter, C.V. (with links to examples of digital research, if available), writing sample, and contact information for three references. Selected applicants will subsequently be asked to provide letters of recommendation, and the committee will then hold online meetings with a small number of candidates before identifying finalists to be brought to campus for interviews.

About the Division/College/School
The College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Alabama offers an exciting and dynamic environment for faculty seeking to make an impact in their field and in the lives of the innovators and changemakers of tomorrow.

As the largest college at The University, we house over 8000 students and 1000 faculty and staff across our 25 departments.

With nationally recognized programs and award-winning faculty, our College has positioned itself as a leader in higher education. Our facilities and resources include state-of-the-art laboratories, research centers, and performance venues, providing students with hands-on learning experiences and opportunities for research and creative expression.

The College is committed to the liberal arts philosophy that fosters creative and critical thinking and a lifetime of learning.

About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure’s 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation’s premier universities, UA offers bachelor’s, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.

In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.

UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.

For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine’s list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review’s list of Top Value Colleges.

UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.

Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., “The Alabama Research Institutes”), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.

The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation’s most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.

Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.

The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants to and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. Follow the link below to find out more. "EEO is the Law" https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf