Core Faculty, MA/PhD Program in Mythological Studies

Applications are invited for the open rank position of full-time Core Faculty in the MA/PhD Program in Mythological Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute, effective Fall 2023. 

Pacifica Graduate Institute is an accredited graduate school offering degree programs in the fields of Psychology, Mythological Studies, and Humanities. We are located between the foothills and the Pacific Ocean a few miles south of Santa Barbara, California. This full-time position will require the candidate to be located within acceptable proximity to Pacifica’s campus to allow for regular campus presence/engagement.  

 

Pacifica is committed to providing an open, fair, inclusive, non-discriminatory environment for all individuals across differences of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, socio-economic status, ethnicity, age, physical ability, or medical condition. We encourage applications from people in historically underrepresented groups. 

 

About the Program 

As the only doctoral program in the country dedicated to the exploration of human experience through the interdisciplinary, multicultural, and comparative study of myth through the lenses of ritual, religion, literature, depth psychology, and art, the Mythological Studies Program cultivates scholarship, self-inquiry, and imagination in those who seek to understand and express the depths of the psyche. The program operates on the underlying assumption that myth has the power to touch our deepest creative energies and to generate symbolic images that confer significance upon the complexity of modern life and history. 

 

Job Description

The candidate for this position will primarily teach coursework, serve on dissertation committees, and perform administrative functions in the Mythological Studies Program. The candidate might also serve as affiliate faculty in other Pacifica degree programs as needed and per qualifications. The candidate will maintain a profile of active research or creative practice (as per qualifications and specialty).

 

We are particularly interested in applicants who can teach the following courses:

 

  • Indigenous Mythologies of the Americas
  • African Diaspora Traditions
  • Ritual and the Embodied Mythic Imagination
  • Sex and Gender
  • Jungian and/or Archetypal Psychology
  • Dissertation Formulation

 

We are particularly interested in applicants with teaching experience in the following methodologies and perspectives: critical race theory; feminist and queer theory; arts-based research; Indigenous epistemologies; and/or post-coloniality.

 

The applicant must additionally be conversant in and appreciative of depth psychological perspectives which form the underpinnings of the Institute’s approach to comparative mythological studies. We are open to applicants who identify as scholar-practitioners or scholar-activists and who are interested in incorporating their research and practical specializations into their curricula and research skills training for our students.

 

Minimum Qualifications 

  • Ph.D. in mythology/folklore, depth psychology, literature, religious studies, or interdisciplinary humanities. Doctorate must be completed by start date of Fall 2023
  • Three years of teaching experience at the undergraduate or graduate level 
  • Record of publications in the field (books, articles) and active research profile
  • Demonstrated ability to teach online or in a distance-learning format
  • Willingness to contribute innovative approaches to student-centered pedagogy 
  • Commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in graduate education
  • Commitment to Pacifica’s mission to “tend the soul of the world.” We value transformative and collaborative learning, social justice, community building, environmental awareness, imagination, embodied learning, and the arts. 

 

Desirable Qualifications

  • Engagement with depth psychological and/or indigenous epistemologies in teaching and research, and ability to combine these theories with other contemporary methodologies (critical race theory/critical race feminism, queer theory, arts-based research, cognitive science approaches, and others)
  • Experience serving on graduate-level dissertation committees and ability to supervise graduate research
  • Interest and experience in curriculum design and development
  • Experience performing administrative duties in graduate education, such as applicant file reviews and interviews, open house/admissions events, and capstone exam coordination

How to Apply

 

Please visit our website to familiarize yourself with our program – www.pacifica.edu

 

Submit the following:

  • cover letter 
  • curriculum vitae
  • recently published peer-reviewed journal article
  • 2-page statement including the following: teaching philosophy (with examples of implementation), research interests, current open courses you would be qualified to teach, and your experience of working with students of diverse backgrounds
  • contact information for three academic references

 

If you have questions about the application process, please contact Norma Mesa, Director of Human Resources (hr@pacifica.edu)

 

Send applications materials via email by January 15, 2023 to:

 

Department of Human Resources  

Pacifica Graduate Institute  

249 Lambert Road  

Carpinteria, CA 93013

hr@pacifica.edu


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