Director of the Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Jewish Studies Program / Lou and Sybil Mervis Chair in Jewish Cultural Studies

The Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Jewish Studies Program at Indiana University, one of the world’s longest-established Jewish Studies programs, invites applications for its next Director. The appointment will be at the rank of full professor, beginning August 2027, and will be made in cooperation with the relevant disciplinary department. Candidates at the rank of associate professor would be considered in exceptional cases. Depending on their research expertise, the Director may also be eligible to hold the Lou and Sybil Mervis Chair in Jewish Cultural Studies for the duration of their tenure. The Director will serve an initial four-year term, with the expectation of renewal for at least one additional term.

As Director, the successful candidate will provide visionary leadership to sustain and grow a program that spans literature, history, politics, religious studies, gender studies, sociology, musicology, languages, and the arts. We seek a leader with the capacity to strengthen enrollment, expand partnerships, foster exchange of diverse viewpoints, and articulate and execute a compelling vision for the program’s scholarly profile, public presence, and future growth. The program is home to two centers of excellence: Olamot: Center for Scholarly and Cultural Exchange with Israel, which fosters academic and cultural exchange with Israeli partners, and the Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism (ISCA), which advances the study of and teaching about contemporary antisemitism and houses a research lab on social media and hate. The program is also advancing several strategic initiatives. These include a major project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and led by ISCA and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Addressing Antisemitism as a Global Challenge: Political, Cultural, and Intellectual Sources and Manifestations, and a new Israel Studies and Business program that connects students with the economic, entrepreneurial, and technological dimensions of contemporary Israel. The program also features an outstanding Hebrew curriculum supported by new technologies, and a strong Yiddish program, along with broad offerings in Jewish history, culture and society.

The successful candidate will be a scholar or artist of exceptional distinction, with a PhD or equivalent terminal degree (field-dependent), and a record of original research or creative achievement. Indiana University offers strong support for research and teaching in Jewish Studies. Candidates may come from a wide range of disciplines in the humanities, arts, history and social sciences.

The Lou and Sybil Mervis Chair in Jewish Cultural Studies was established to enhance understanding of modern Jewish culture and art, particularly in America, with special attention to Jewish contributions to theater and drama, humor, music, film, literature, radio and television, the visual arts, or related fields. The Mervis Chair provides resources to advance scholarship and creative work, including support for research and related needs.

Interested candidates should review the application requirements and submit their application electronically at http://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/31666. Application materials include a cover letter, curriculum vita, and the names of three references. Applications received before Monday, November 9, 2026 will be assured of consideration, but the search will continue until a suitable candidate is identified. For additional information on the Borns Jewish Studies Program, please see: https://jewishstudies.indiana.edu/index.html.

For any questions about the position, please feel free to contact Interim Provost John Ciorciari, the search committee chair, at [email protected].

Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and a provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.

The successful candidate will be a scholar or artist of exceptional distinction, with a PhD or equivalent terminal degree (field-dependent), and a record of original research or creative achievement. Indiana University offers strong support for research and teaching in Jewish Studies. Candidates may come from a wide range of disciplines in the humanities, arts, history and social sciences.

John Ciorciari, Interim Provost:
[email protected]

Before a conditional offer of employment with tenure is finalized, candidates will be asked to disclose any pending investigations or previous findings of sexual or professional misconduct. They will also be required to authorize an inquiry by Indiana University Bloomington with all current and former employers along these lines. The relevance of information disclosed or ascertained in the context of this process to a candidate’s eligibility for hire will be evaluated by Indiana University Bloomington on a case-by-case basis. Applicants should be aware, however, that Indiana University Bloomington takes the matters of sexual and professional misconduct very seriously.