Associate Professor - Film and Theatre - Theatre History

Position Rank and Title: Associate Professor in Theatre History

School/Department Name: Department of Film and Theatre

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications and experience. See Benefits Summary for details.

Target Start Date: August 2022

Application Deadline: February 1, 2022 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description

The Department of Film and Theater at San José State University invites applications for an associate professor of theater history. We especially welcome candidates whose research and teaching are in the areas of Latinx, Native American, Asian, Black and African diasporic performance, or Indigenous theatre histories.

Candidates must demonstrate an ability to research and teach in the following areas: (1) post-colonial, diasporic, global, and / or Indigenous theatre histories; (2) other media (such as radio, television, or film); (3) contemporary dramaturgy. The successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses in theatre history with a focus on a post-colonial, diasporic, global, and/or Indigenous perspective; performance and social justice; performance theory and criticism; world performance; and contemporary theatre. Teaching could cross into the performance studies curriculum (in the Communication Studies Department), in areas such as performance ethnography, or race and performance, depending on the candidate’s interest and areas of expertise. We also desire a candidate with a record of obtaining external grants to support research, professional experience as a dramaturg, and experience with community educational outreach. A record of academic service at the departmental, institutional, or national level is additionally desirable. Applicants should have awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a multicultural population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching and other comparable experience.

The Department presents a full season of stage productions, one of which, each semester, is in the Hammer Theatre (formerly the San José Repertory Theatre), a professional performance venue in downtown San José. We also create short and feature films through the Spartan Film Studios. And our full-time radio station, KSJS 90.5, provides entertainment, sports and community service to the Bay Area. Our theatre faculty are award-winning industry professionals whose work is seen throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, nationally, and internationally.

The Department of Film and Theatre at SJSU values diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can only be fully realized by faculty, students, and staff who share our commitment to these values. SJSU enrolls more than 36,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved, and around 45% are first-generation and 38% are Pell-Grant recipients. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution. The university’s commitment to social justice extends from its vibrant, inclusive campus to an international network of over 275,000 alumni. As such, San José State is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and communities can benefit from different and divergent cultural and identity perspectives.

Successful candidates will demonstrate evidence of a commitment to equity and inclusion through their research, teaching, and/or service. We ask that all applicants include a Diversity Statement with their application package. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Diversity Statement Guidelines , along with information about how these statements will be evaluated.


Required Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have documented experience working with contemporary theories and methodologies in theatre and performance studies. They must be able to demonstrate successful teaching at the undergraduate level and a strong record of research and publication.

• Ph.D. (or equivalent foreign degree) in Theatre Arts or Performance Studies completed by start date;
• a record of research and scholarly productivity;
• evidence of teaching experience at the university level;
• evidence of service within an academic environment.
• Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.

Preferred Qualifications


Candidates should demonstrate promise in scholarly research or creative work with evidence of prior publication/creative scholarship, including publications in peer-reviewed journals, as well as evidence of successful university teaching.

Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following areas of focus:

• Black and African diasporic performance
• Latinx performance
• Native American, or Indigenous performance
• Diasporic performance
• Theatre for social change
• Race and Ethnicity in performance
• Gender and sexuality in performance
• Professional dramaturgy experience
• Community education and outreach experience

Key Responsibilities


Duties include but are not limited to:

• Teaching and developing courses in theatre history, performance studies, the candidate’s area of specialization, and for the University Core Curriculum (GE);
• Advising and mentoring undergraduate students;
• Teaching courses in world theatre, ethnicity and/or race in theatre, Global Majority theatre history, theatre for social change, dramaturgy, and other specialties;
• Carrying out a sustained program of research and/or creative activity, with appropriate submission to peer-reviewed publications, and/or producing quality creative/artistic work at appropriate venues;
• Collaborate with production faculty on educational outreach to the community for departmental productions;
• Participating in shared governance and academic service at departmental, institutional, and professional contexts.
• The candidate must also address the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, cultural background, ethnicity, primary language, and academic preparation – through course materials, teaching strategies, and advisement.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• letter of interest
• curriculum vitae
• diversity statement
• statement of teaching interests/philosophy
• research plans
• three references with contact information

Inquires may be directed to Interim Department Chair, Matthew Spangler at matthew.spangler@sjsu.edu

Conditional Offer

Employment is contingent upon proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. CSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position. The CSU requires faculty, staff, and students who are accessing campus facilities to be immunized against COVID-19 or declare a medical or religious exemption from doing so. Any candidates advanced in a currently open search process should be prepared to comply with this requirement as a condition of employment. The systemwide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/ and questions may be sent to jobs@sjsu.edu .


San José State University: Silicon Valley’s Public University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley — one of the most innovative regions in the world —
San José State University is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system and the first public university in the West. The 2020 #1 Most Transformative University in the nation according to Money Magazine, San José State is an essential partner in the economic, cultural and social development of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area and California. SJSU is a top-200 school nationally in research funding and second highest in research productivity in the CSU system. This cutting-edge research, combined with its world-class scholarship, student-centered learning opportunities, and experiential and interdisciplinary programs, allows SJSU to provide transformative opportunities that advance the public good locally and globally.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or disability. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Note that all San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Advertised: November 04, 2021 (9:00 AM) Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close: