Assistant Professor of Modern Chinese Language and Literature

Description

The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Swarthmore
College invites applications for a full-time tenure track
appointment at the level of Assistant Professor in Modern Chinese
Language and Literature to begin in Fall 2027. The successful
candidate will have a solid grounding in modern Chinese literature
together with research interests in modern and/or contemporary
Chinese/Sinophone literature and/or Chinese/Sinophone cinema or
media studies. While the position is housed in the Chinese Section
of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, we
anticipate that the successful candidate will demonstrate the
potential for active engagement with the Film & Media Studies
department on campus. Pending the curricular needs of the Chinese
program, candidates will be encouraged to teach an upper-level
seminar on the topic of faculty interest and to develop a
first-year seminar to attract non-majors to Chinese cultural
studies. Candidates should also have the ability to rotate into the
Chinese section’s advanced Chinese language classes, and language
teaching experience in a college or university setting is
expected.

The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures consists of six
programs: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Russian.
The Chinese Section serves a diverse group of Chinese language and
literature students and prepares students for majors and minors in
Chinese. In addition, it supports majors and minors in Asian
Studies and Comparative Literature, as well as special majors in
Linguistics and Languages. Classes are generally small, students
are motivated, and opportunities for interdisciplinary
collaboration with colleagues and students are real and abundant.
Additional information about the Chinese Program in the Department
of Modern Languages and Literatures can be found at https://www.swarthmore.edu/chinese
.

Located in the suburbs of Philadelphia and near Wilmington DE,
Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college whose
mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility.
Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to
non-discrimination and equal opportunity. We welcome applications
from all candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly
those with demonstrable experience effectively supporting,
teaching, and engaging a highly diverse student body. For more
information available to all faculty at Swarthmore, see
https://www.swarthmore.edu/provosts-office/welcome-to-provosts-office

Qualifications

Qualifications include a Ph.D. in Chinese literature in hand by
August 2027, a passion for teaching and mentoring undergraduate
students of diverse backgrounds and identities, and the potential
for innovative and impactful scholarship.

Application Instructions

Applicants should include a brief cover letter describing their
interest in the position at Swarthmore College, a curriculum vitae,
teaching, and research statements, and three letters of
recommendation. The teaching statement should describe the
applicant’s interests in teaching at an undergraduate institution,
previous teaching experience, and approach to teaching and
mentoring students from diverse backgrounds. The research statement
should describe the applicant’s program of research (including
research interests, recent and current research, and anticipated
areas for future work) and its potential to engage undergraduate
students. At least one letter of recommendation should comment
specifically on teaching. Applications will not be considered until
letters of recommendation have been submitted. Please address any
questions you may have to Jean-Vincent Blanchard, Search Committee
Chair, jblanch1@swarthmore.edu .

Applictions should be submitted at: apply.interfolio.com/195634 .

All applications received by November 20, 2026, will receive full
consideration, and review of applications will continue until the
position is filled.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to
non-discrimination and equal opportunity. We welcome applications
from all candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly
those with demonstrable commitments to working effectively
supporting, teaching, and engaging a highly diverse student
body.