The Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto is inviting applications for a full-time, tenure-track position in the area of public memory and public histories. The appointment will be at the rank of Associate Professor, with an expected start date of 1 July 2026.

The Public Memory and Public Histories position focuses on the production of (collective) memory within and against cultural institutions, public discourse, and histories. We seek candidates who are at the forefront of global and comparative research in one or more of the following areas:

• Research on collective memory and public histories, emphasizing those that are marginal, threatened with erasure, or otherwise repressed in public discourse.
• The production and contestation of memory work extend to various forms of testimony, witness accounts, and oral histories, through embodied and performative practices, in relation to specific sites or taking place within or against institutions.
• Practices, methods, or technologies of community organizing through the construction — or engagement — of collective memory, as well as diverse or interdisciplinary forms of research on public histories.
• Traditions of counter-memory work, historical and contemporary practices of (mis)information, and the relationship between civic discourse and identity in Indigenous, diasporic, transnational, or other non-Western contexts.
• Critical implications of contemporary memorial infrastructures, political contexts, policy strategies, and transitional movements extending from the past and present to future interventions.

We seek to attract internationally recognized candidates holding a PhD in fields such as information science, museum studies, the GLAM sectors (galleries, libraries, archives, museums), history, anthropology, Black studies, Indigenous studies, gender studies, cultural studies, media and communication studies or journalism, memory studies, performance studies, and education. Candidates with a terminal master’s degree in their field, such as an MFA, who have a proven international reputation and experience commensurate with the rank of Associate Professor are also encouraged to apply.

We encourage applicants who are also engaged in creative professional activity beyond academia, including experience in creating and producing memory work and/or public histories, such as community-engaged artists, curators, public historians, designers, practitioners, and archivists, to apply.

The ideal candidate’s research and teaching interests will complement and strengthen the existing strengths of our department. Candidates must have clearly demonstrated excellence in research and teaching, possess an established international reputation, and be able to support and lead innovative and independent research, and maintain an outstanding, competitive research program funded by external sources.

Applicants must provide evidence of research excellence, which can be demonstrated by a body of high‑impact contributions and publications in leading journals relevant to the field, the submitted research statement, presentations at major conferences, awards and honors, successful supervision of student and postdoctoral research, and other notable activities that contribute to the visibility and significance of the field, as well as strong letters of reference from reviewers.

The successful candidate must also demonstrate in their application file that they are prepared to lead research projects, as they will be required to supervise research and teach undergraduate and graduate students. The successful candidate must also have demonstrated the ability to secure grants and research funding.

Please note that we are seeking candidates able to contribute to curriculum development and to teach within our various professional programs (BI, MI, MMSt) and research program (PhD). Evidence of teaching excellence will be provided by pedagogical achievements and innovative teaching approaches, the teaching dossier submitted as part of the application (with the required documents described below), and strong letters of recommendation. Other teaching-related activities may include performance as a course instructor, experience leading successful workshops or seminars, mentoring or developing curricula in non-academic contexts, as well as participation in major conferences or public engagements, awards and accolades.

Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The Faculty of Information is a research-intensive faculty committed to training the next generation of professional and academic leaders in the field of information, who will join us to transform society through collaboration, innovation, and knowledge creation. We are guided by core values that include engagement with the cultural, social, political and ethical issues of information for the benefit of society, as well as transparency, accountability, and public responsibility. With an outstanding and award‑winning faculty, our chief strengths are the quality of our interdisciplinary research, the capabilities of our graduate students, close ties across the university, and the engagement of our alumni. Our strategic priorities are excellence through interdisciplinarity, impact through partnerships, and equity through fostering inclusive environments. We are particularly proud of the caliber, excellence, academic engagement, and diversity of our students.

As part of the University of Toronto, the Faculty of Information offers the opportunity to teach, conduct research, and live in one of the most diverse cities in the world. We are seeking candidates who have demonstrated their commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment in their application materials. Candidates should therefore submit a statement of contribution to equity and diversity, which may cover topics such as (but not limited to): teaching or research that emphasizes underrepresented communities, the development of inclusive pedagogies, or mentoring students from underrepresented groups.

This search is part of the university’s strategic and proactive commitment to promoting diversity among members of our community(Statement on Equity, Diversity and Excellence) and to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Recognizing that Black, Indigenous, and other racialized communities have experienced inequalities that have developed historically and persist, we warmly welcome and strongly encourage applicants from these communities to apply.

All qualified applicants are invited to apply online by clicking the link below. Applicants must submit:

• a cover letter ;
• an up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV) ;
• a research statement describing past intellectual impact, current research interests, and future research program ;
• three relevant publications or equivalent works as part of creative professional activities ;
• a statement of contribution to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (as indicated above) ; and,
• a complete teaching dossier including a teaching statement, sample syllabi and course materials, as well as teaching evaluations for the last six years, unless teaching has not been a central element of the candidate’s career, in which case the most recent teaching evaluations should be included, or evidence of outstanding performance in other teaching-related activities, such as those listed above.

Applicants must provide the names and contact information of three referees. The faculty will request letters of recommendation from these individuals at a later stage in the search process.