Mershon Chair in Peace Studies
The Ohio State University

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Job Title:Mershon Chair in Peace StudiesDepartment:Arts and Sciences | Geography

Mershon Chair in Peace Studies

Department of Geography and the Mershon Center for International Security Studies

College of Arts and Sciences

Position Overview

The Mershon Center for International Security Studies, in collaboration with the Department of Geography at The Ohio State University, is inviting applications for a tenure-track position in peace and conflict studies. The selected candidate will hold the prestigious Mershon Chair in Peace Studies. This is a joint appointment, with a 50% commitment to the Mershon Center and a 50% appointment in the Department of Geography, which will serve as the tenure home.

We invite applications from scholars at all ranks for this position. We are seeking a dynamic, innovative, and transformative scholar who can make significant contributions to advancing the field of peace and conflict studies at Ohio State. The ideal candidate will strengthen our units' research and teaching leadership in this critical area.

We seek a colleague with field experience in conflict-affected settings who considers transformational peacemaking and/or peacebuilding processes in interaction with development, governance, social justice struggles, environmental and demographic change, ideological and cultural change, state-local relationships, regional dynamics and international actors, or other issues. For this Geography-based position, we also seek a scholar with expertise in the spatial dimensions of political processes and power relations in post-conflict societies.

We are particularly interested in scholars whose research explores how conflict and its aftermath reshape territories, identities, and governance structures at the scale of everyday lived experience. Key areas of focus could include landscape securitization, memory and place, geographies of displacement and return, border control and security, political and economic reconstruction, community-level social justice struggles, peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts, disarmament and demobilization, infrastructure challenges, police and military reform, gender/race/class and post-conflict recovery, and the geographies of development and aid, among other topics. We will prioritize scholars whose research directly engages with affected communities to better understand their experiences and perspectives.

Performance Objectives

The Peace Chair will design and teach courses in peace studies at the general education, specialized, and graduate levels. A key focus for the successful candidate will be developing undergraduate courses that contribute to the International Studies program at Ohio State (https://internationalstudies.osu.edu). These courses should encourage students to critically examine the dynamics of peace and conflict both globally and locally, equipping them with tools to understand and engage with their roles as citizens and community members. Support and funding will be available for the creation of study-abroad and community engagement initiatives, depending on the Chair's area of focus, to enhance experiential learning. The Mershon Center's Associate Director for Peacebuilding Research will collaborate in teaching and curriculum development.

With a 50% teaching load, the Peace Chair will have substantial time and resources for individual and collaborative research. Public-facing activities can also be funded by the Chair and supported by the Mershon Center staff.

Education and Experience Requirements

Required: A PhD in geography or cognate field. The successful candidate will demonstrate a sustained commitment to research and teaching using geographical approaches or perspectives, for example by prioritizing space, place, mobility, landscape, territoriality, or scale. The successful candidate will have field experience as a researcher or researcher-practitioner in conflict-affected regions and will produce scholarship that is engaged with real-world problems and constituencies.

Desired: The successful candidate should demonstrate a capacity to work collaboratively with communities, organizations, or stakeholders in their field. The candidate should also demonstrate a commitment to building a diverse intellectual community, in line with OSU's Shared Values (see below).

Additional Information:

How to Apply

A competitive application consists of the following required elements: a cover letter, curriculum vitae, separate research and teaching statements, and the names of three people who are willing to provide letters of recommendation.

Applications received by November 30, 2024 will receive full consideration. Inquiries may be directed to Dorothy Noyes, director of the Mershon Center (noyes.10@osu.edu).

You will be presented with the opportunity to attach up to FOUR documents in the Application Documents section. Please include the following:

• Attachment 1: Cover Letter: 1-2 page letter, which should include a brief summary of your academic background and why you are interested in this opportunity.
• Attachment 2: CV (Curriculum Vitae): Detailed overview of your scholarly experience, including your research experience, teaching and mentoring experience, service, funding, and publications.
• Attachment 3: Research Statement: Summary of your past research accomplishments, current work/research, and proposal for your future research plan as a faculty member, with an emphasis on engaged research contributions, plans, and potential.
• Attachment 4: Teaching Statement: A statement of your approaches, experience and philosophy regarding your teaching, learning, and mentoring, with an emphasis on teaching in a multidisciplinary context.

Please be aware, you will not be able to edit your application or attachments after you apply. You will need to fill out the application in its entirety and upload all required documents before clicking Submit.

You may be asked to provide the names and contact information for three references following the submission of application materials.

The College

With more than 80 majors and 100 minors, the College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of the university. The Arts and Sciences provides extraordinary opportunities to collaborate across disciplines, blending creativity and analysis to truly be at the forefront of thought. The breadth and depth of knowledge in the college gives students and researchers the critical thinking and adaptability essential for a lifetime of success.

Department Information

The Mershon Center for International Security Studies (https://mershoncenter.osu.edu) is housed in the College of Arts and Sciences. The Mershon Center focuses on the human and social dimensions of complex security challenges. Mershon convenes faculty and students from all fields involved analytically and/or practically with diplomacy, conflict, transitional justice and peacebuilding, governance, cooperative problem-solving, and related concerns. The Center houses three endowed chairs and two designated professorships as well as an extensive grant program for faculty and students across the university . It supports an Associate Director for Peacebuilding Research, who collaborates with a wide range of international partners and has developed a strong peacebuilding focus within the Center's programming, research, and training activities.

The Department of Geography (https://geography.osu.edu), also housed in Arts and Sciences, is celebrating its 100th anniversary and is among the largest geography departments in the country. Our 28 full-time faculty and eight staff members manage a graduate program with some 50 students and an undergraduate program with 500 majors. We are known nationally and internationally as a leader in social and environmental geography, GIS, spatial analysis, and atmospheric sciences and meteorology. Our faculty include members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the National Academies of Science.

The University

Ohio State is a top-20 public university, and its Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is one of America's leading academic health centers and recently ranked No. 4 on Forbes' list of best U.S. employers for diversity. Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.

The Ohio State University's Shared Values include Excellence and Impact, Diversity and Innovation, Inclusion and Equity, Care and Compassion, and Integrity and Respect. Our university community welcomes differences, encourages open-minded exploration and courageous thinking, and upholds freedom of expression.

Ohio State is a dynamic community where opportunity thrives, and individuals transform themselves and their world. Positions are available in countless fields and specialties.

The Ohio State University is committed to enhancing academic excellence. Recruiting, supporting, and retaining faculty of the highest caliber is a core component of this commitment. The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) has established Dual Careers and Faculty Relocation (DCFR) to focus on supporting new and prospective faculty and their loved ones. Service offerings include dual careers partner consultations, identifying potential employers and/or employment opportunities, consultation and resources related to relocation, as well as identifying opportunities to engage on campus and in the surrounding community. While employment opportunities are not guaranteed, resources and consultation are provided to support the partners of new and prospective faculty as they are considering or transitioning to The Ohio State University.

In addition to being responsive to dual-career opportunities, we strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies. Ohio State is an NSF ADVANCE institution and a member of the Ohio/Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC).

Located in Ohio's capital city, Ohio State's Columbus campus is near the center of a rapidly growing and diverse metropolitan area with a population of over 1.5 million. The area offers a wide range of affordable housing, many cultural and recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a strong economy based on government as well as service, transportation, and technology industries. Additional information about the Columbus area is available here. Beyond its Columbus campus, Ohio State has four regional campuses including Ohio State Lima, Ohio State Mansfield, Ohio State Marion, and Ohio State Newark, in addition to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Wooster Campus, which houses Ohio State ATI.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disability

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check.

Location:Derby Hall (0025)Position Type:RegularScheduled Hours:40Shift:First ShiftThe Ohio State University believes in diversity in people and ideas. What Ohio State does matters. And how we do it matters. When we are at our best, we make a real difference to people. Our size, breadth, geography, history and standard of excellence position us to drive the future of higher education. We believe that the university should be a place where people can work and learn together in a safe environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. As such, finalists for any faculty position that carries tenure must sign an authorization and disclosure form, which will allow current or prior employer(s) to share information to the University regarding any findings of employment-related misconduct or disciplinary proceedings against a candidate and/or any pending investigations related to alleged misconduct. Such information shall include findings and pending investigations with respect to sexual harassment, violence, or harassment; research misconduct; financial fraud or misconduct; foreign influence violations, grant misuse or misconduct; and/or any other type of finding or pending investigation relating to a candidate's employer's policies and rules governing faculty conduct that may reasonably be expected to affect a candidate's appointment. If the University becomes aware of any past finding of misconduct or pending investigations that were not disclosed, Ohio State will treat that as a serious omission and reserves the right to rescind an offer or terminate employment.Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.

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The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer.

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Applicants are encouraged to complete and submit the Equal Employment Identification form.

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