Assistant Professor - Environmental Humanities with Area Studies Expertise in Eastern Europe and Eurasia

Job title: Assistant Professor - Environmental Humanities with Area Studies Expertise in Eastern Europe and Eurasia

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Job Title:

Assistant Professor - Environmental Humanities with Area Studies Expertise in Eastern Europe and Eurasia

Department:

Arts and Sciences | Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures

Transnational World Language Studies

Environmental Humanities with Area Studies Expertise in Eastern Europe and Eurasia

Rank: Tenure-Track Assistant Professor

Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures

College of Arts and Sciences

Position Overview

The Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures (SEELC) at The Ohio State University invites applications for a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor position in Transnational World Language Studies in the area of interdisciplinary Environmental Humanities beginning August 15, 2027. We aim to hire a dynamic scholar who will contribute to the vibrant and collegial intellectual communities of our department by engaging with interdisciplinary research, innovative teaching, program development, community engagement, and service.

This is one of three tenure-track hires in Transnational World Language Studies, the other two being in the departments of East Asian Languages and Literatures and Spanish and Portuguese. We are also conducting searches for three Postdoctoral Scholar to Tenure-Track Assistant Professor positions in Humanities-based Interdisciplinary World Languages and Cultures in the departments of French and Italian, Germanic Languages and Literatures, and Near Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures.

In keeping with the department’s commitment to interdisciplinarity, we are especially interested in scholars who examine the complex relationships among environment, society, culture, politics, and technology across the region, with particular attention to contemporary environmental challenges and their historical, cultural, and geopolitical dimensions. This position builds on current departmental strengths in interdisciplinary world languages and cultures, including in environmental and transnational indigenous studies, transnational media literacy, intercultural competency and global security, experiential learning, and community engagement.

The position is grounded in the broad field of environmental humanities and welcomes applicants from disciplines such as cultural and literary studies, media and technology studies, anthropology, environmental studies, area studies, or related interdisciplinary fields. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong research and teaching agenda that advances understandings of how regional and transnational environmental transformations shape intercultural, economic, and social processes across Eastern Europe and Eurasia.

The successful candidate will contribute to interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching on environmental issues affecting Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Arctic, and neighboring regions— a vast geographical area that is central to global discussions about climate change, environmental transformations, and sustainability. This centrality has only intensified amid the ongoing environmental and human impacts of military conflicts and security concerns. We are especially interested in applicants whose research engages one or more of the following areas: climate change and climate adaptation; energy sources and transitions; climate security in the Arctic and Eurasia; migration and environmental displacement; environmental impacts of war and conflict; energy geopolitics; environmental justice; resource extraction; sustainability; and/or the intersections of environment, technology, and society in a regional and transnational frame.

As global climate and security crises become increasingly intertwined, transnational interdisciplinary linguistic and cultural expertise in Eastern Europe and Eurasia is essential for advancing public understanding of some of the most pressing challenges facing societies worldwide. We seek candidates who can translate their expertise beyond the academy, as well as for current and emerging careers that require skills in humanistic inquiry, global fluency, and multi-disciplinary literacies.

Successful candidates would be charged with conducting research and creating courses that engage their discipline beyond national borders from the perspective of intercultural competence and global fluency.

Partial startup for the Transnational World Language Studies tenure-track positions is funded by the Mellon Foundation grant “Global Fluency, Career Agility: Transforming World Languages at Ohio State.” The new hires will participate in the activities within the Department and have designated faculty mentors who are engaged in research on topics relating to transnational world language education, global fluency and intercultural competence, and to their area of specialization.

Performance Objectives

• Maintain an active scholarship program.

• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Environmental Humanities, East European and Eurasian Studies, and related interdisciplinary fields.

• Advance the Mellon-funded Transforming World Languages at OSU initiative by collaborating with faculty and staff across disciplines, contributing to innovative programming, and creating new courses that strengthen students’ global fluency and intercultural competence.

• Mentor students in engaged research and career pathways.

• Develop innovative courses that bridge departments and programs.

• Contribute to departmental service.

• Foster innovative collaboration across units engaged in interdisciplinary environmental studies, international studies, media and technology, energy and climate research, and/or security studies broadly understood.

Education and Experience

• Qualifications

• Required

• PhD in disciplines such as cultural studies, literature & culture, anthropology, media studies, area studies, or related interdisciplinary fields is required at the time of appointment which is August 15, 2027. ABDs are welcome to apply.

• Native or near-native fluency in one language from the multilingual environment of Eastern Europe and Eurasia is required.

• Candidates must demonstrate achievement or strong promise of scholarly success.

• Desired:

• Experience in and/or commitment to public-facing or community engaged scholarship, teaching, and/or service.

• Competency in one additional language of the region.

• Engagement with ethical AI and/or media.

• Ohio State provides access to a depth and breadth of opportunities and resources. Starting your first day, Ohio State offers you a comprehensive benefits package.

• Application period closes November 19, 2026.

Additional Information

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

Established in 1962, the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures is dedicated to researching and teaching the languages, literatures, and cultures of the East, Central, and Southeast European nations and peoples. From the outset, the department has embraced the identity of a genuinely "Slavic and East European" (rather than "Russian”) department and has maintained that broad scope ever since. We value interdisciplinarity and serve a broad body of undergraduate students with interests in a variety of disciplines outside the Humanities. In addition, our faculty and curriculum include non-Slavic cultures of the region from an interdisciplinary perspective. Our graduate program supports interdisciplinarity and pedagogical training in communicative methods.

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. 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.

Grounded in Ohio State University’s Shared Values, our university community welcomes differences, encourages open-minded exploration and courageous thinking, and upholds freedom of expression. Ohio State promotes a culture of work-life balance through institutionalized policies, programs, and resources that help faculty, staff, and their families thrive both professionally and personally.

Ohio State is a dynamic community where opportunity thrives, and individuals transform themselves and their world. Positions are available in countless fields and specialties. Become a Buckeye and contribute to an incredible legacy that serves to guide our future and sha