The Initiative for a Just Society (IJS) and the Square One Project (SQ1) are jointly hiring a Scholar-in-Residence to spend time at Columbia University to engage in research, writing, teaching, and scholarly discussion connected to racial justice and abolition democracy. The Scholar-in-Residence will also contribute to the development of an upper-division, action-oriented, multidisciplinary curricular program in the humanities, arts, social sciences, public policy, and law, on “Racial Justice and Abolition Democracy.” This model curriculum will be infused with active policy engagement, litigation, and social movement organizing, and builds on ongoing teaching and research at Columbia University. Once developed, the curriculum will be available for adoption, adaptation, and use across the nation in universities and colleges, in prisons, and in community settings. The incumbent will be appointed as an Associate Research Scholar.
S/he will have a specialization and background in the interdisciplinary area that includes history, justice-studies, critical philosophy, and law, and a demonstrated commitment to social and racial justice, s/he will provide the theoretical vision to integrate the different disciplines (arts, humanities, social sciences, policy, and law) into a unified upper-division curriculum. S/he will help oversee the development of courses and the year-long seminar on Abolition Democracy. S/he will hold a secondary appointment as an instructor in their discipline in order to teach several courses each year.
Summary of Responsibilities
1. Works with Professors Bernard Harcourt and Bruce Western, and the team at IJS and SQ1 including the Curriculum Coordinator, the Racial Justice Fellows, Practitioner-in-Residence, Artist-in-Residence, and Writer-in-Residence, to develop an integrated set of courses, clinics, and experiential learning opportunities at Columbia and at partner institutions into a cohesive model curriculum.
2. Oversees, in collaboration with Professor Harcourt, a year-long seminar on Abolition Democracy, which will be offered as both a graduate research and upper-level seminar.
3. Designs and teaches pilots courses in their discipline that will be incorporated into a model curriculum on racial justice and abolition democracy and prepares curricula for approval from curricular committees.
4. Designs, organizes, and conducts research, writes scholarly and popular publications on their research, and presents the work at scholarly conferences.
5. Work with the advisory board of the “Racial Justice and Abolition Democracy” project and helps coordinate opportunities for co-instruction at partner institutions.
An upper-level graduate degree (e.g. PhD, EdD, JD) in the arts, humanities, social sciences, policy, and/or law is required. Equivalent life experience will be taken into consideration. S/he will have a specialization and background in the interdisciplinary area that includes history, justice-studies, critical philosophy, and law, and a demonstrated commitment to social and racial justice. Additional requirements include, but are not limited to, strong research and writing capabilities; experience working in an interdisciplinary and fast-paced environment; excellent interpersonal and communication skills; initiative, motivation, and ability to think creatively and strategically. Prior teaching experience will be valued in the selection process, but not required.
Candidates with criminal justice histories, lived experience relating to criminal justice, and/or strong ties to affected communities will be encouraged to apply.
The duration of the Scholar-in-Residence appointment is for a period of one year, with the possibility of two one-year renewals. Salary will be commensurate with experience. In addition to a competitive compensation package, the incumbent will be provided with a project expenditure budget that can be used for conference/workshop travel and registration fees, and/or other project-related costs.
About the Racial Justice and Abolition Democracy Project
The project is a multidisciplinary and multi-institutional effort of the Square One Project and the Initiative for a Just Society, spanning the humanities, the arts, the social sciences, and public policy and law, including not only Columbia University but also collaborators in other academic settings, at justice-in-arts institutions, and within the broader community of activists and community leaders. In collaboration with its partner institutions, this project will develop the prototype for a national curricular program in the humanities, arts, social sciences, public policy, and law, on “Racial Justice and Abolition Democracy” suitable for advanced undergraduates or for a one-year master’s degree. The curriculum will be designed, developed, and tested collaboratively with community and higher-educational partners and a dedicated, diverse team of scholars at Columbia University.
The curriculum will include a cluster of academic and clinical courses and experiential learning opportunities, with full syllabi and teaching materials, including online teaching resources (videos, lectures, lesson plans) and several MOOCs (massive open online courses).
 
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Columbia University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer—race/gender/disability/veteran.