QNS in Indigenous Legal Studies
The Faculty of Law at Queen’s University invites applications for a Queen’s National Scholar (QNS) position in Indigenous Legal Studies. The position is a full-time tenure-track/tenured position at Assistant Professor or early Associate Professor rank, with a preferred starting date of July 1, 2024. The QNS in Indigenous Legal Studies is one of seven QNS positions being recruited this year in support of the Queen’s interdisciplinary Indigenous Studies Program and new Major and Joint-Honours in Indigenous Studies. Further information on the Queen’s National Scholar Program can be found on the website of the Office of the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) at:https://www.queensu.ca/provost/queens-national-scholars-program.
Applicants must be Indigenous persons with clear and demonstrable ties to Indigenous community(ies). In accordance with the Hiring of Indigenous Specific Positions – Interim Policy, applicants will be required to provide documents confirming their Indigenous identity. Shortlisted candidates will have their identity verified prior to being invited to interview and only applicants whose identities have been positively verified will proceed to the interview stage of the hiring process.
Queen’s University is committed to furthering the work of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples and to advancing teaching and research in Indigenous legal studies. The Faculty of Law is committed to increasing Indigenous representation within the legal profession, supporting Indigenous students who study law at Queen’s, and providing a legal education that enables jurists, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, to navigate the multi-juridical legal landscape in Canada with sophistication and understanding. The Faculty is committed to research and scholarship that explores legal thought and legal ideas from comparative and cross-cultural perspectives. The Queen’s National Scholar in Indigenous Legal Studies will further these objectives.
The successful candidate will have expertise that includes Indigenous legal studies broadly defined, including knowledge of laws, legal traditions, legal practices and/or approaches to governance of one or more Indigenous peoples or cultures, and will have research and teaching interests in state and/or international laws relating to the rights of Indigenous peoples. The QNS in Indigenous Legal Studies will work collaboratively with other faculties at Queen’s and will play an important role in helping to build the Indigenous Studies Program within the Faculty of Arts and Science.
As a Queen’s National Scholar, the ideal candidate will clearly demonstrate three main attributes:
1) Excellence in providing rich and rewarding learning experiences to students;
2) Excellence in developing innovative, collaborative and/or interdisciplinary research programs that align with Queen’s strategic priorities; and
3) A commitment to the principles of Indigenization, equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and accessibility.
Further information on teaching and research priorities at Queen’s is available in the Queen’s Strategy and the Queen’s Strategic Research Plan.
The main criterion for selection is the potential for teaching and research excellence. The successful candidate will be an Indigenous person who will have a JD/LLB or equivalent and a graduate degree in law or a related discipline or other experience of a relevant nature. All qualified candidates will be considered; while a completed doctorate is preferred, exceptional candidates without a PhD are encouraged to apply. Applicants will be encouraged to share qualifications beyond academic credentials, including relevant lived experience and traditional knowledge. In terms of assessing relevant experience:
The successful early career candidate will provide evidence of innovative and high-quality scholarly output that demonstrates potential for independent research in the area of Indigenous legal studies, leading to peer-assessed publications and the securing of external research funding, as well as strong potential for outstanding teaching contributions and an ongoing commitment to academic and pedagogical excellence in support of the Faculty’s programs.
The successful more established candidate will possess an excellent track record of
innovative and high-quality scholarly output that demonstrates independent research in Indigenous legal studies, including peer-assessed publications and the securing of external research funding. They will have a track record of exceptional teaching contributions and will demonstrate strong potential for an ongoing commitment to academic and pedagogical excellence in support of the Faculty’s programs.
In either case, consideration will be given to the distinctive standards that may govern
knowledge and scholarship for an Indigenous legal tradition—with the ideas of ‘peer review’ and ‘publication’ assuming appropriate meanings for the relevant Indigenous tradition or traditions involved.
It is expected that the successful candidate will contribute to teaching and/or service opportunities within the Indigenous Studies Program in coordination with the Faculty of Law. Indigenous Studies at Queen’s (INDG) is hosted by the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures and is anchored in language, cultural, and land-based education. The program launched as a Minor in 2013 and added a Major and Joint-Honours in 2022. It features a dynamic and growing list of courses from diverse units across the Faculty of Arts & Science. INDG currently has two Indigenous tenure-track faculty members and is overseen by the Indigenous Studies Program Steering Committee, comprised of faculty, staff, students, and community members. The QNS will join a core of people committed to centring Indigenous knowledges and perspectives as INDG continues to grow and flourish. More information is available at https://www.queensu.ca/llcu/academics/academic-plans/indigenous-studies.
Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status and provide proof that they were fully vaccinated or had an approved accommodation to engage in in-person University activities. These requirements were suspended effective May 1, 2022, but the University may reinstate them at any point.
People from across Canada and around the world come to learn, teach and carry out research at Queen’s University. Faculty and their dependents are eligible for an extensive benefits package including prescription drug coverage, vision care, dental care, long term disability insurance, life insurance and access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program. You will also participate in a pension plan. Tuition assistance is available for qualifying employees, their spouses and dependent children. Queen’s values families and is pleased to provide a ‘top up’ to government parental leave benefits for eligible employees on pregnancy/parental leave. In addition, Queen’s provides partial reimbursement for eligible daycare expenses for employees with dependent children in daycare. Details are set out in the Queen’s-QUFA Collective Agreement. For more information on employee benefits, see Queen’s Human Resources.
Additional information about Queen’s University can be found on the Faculty Recruitment and Support website. Queen’s University is a leading Canadian medical doctoral institution with over 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Millions of dollars of support from SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR support leading-edge research across domains of inquiry. The Office of Indigenous Initiatives builds community, advances reconciliation, and integrates Indigenous ways of knowing and being into the fabric and life of the university. Researchers at Queen’s have many existing networks with Indigenous communities and researchers locally and from across Turtle Island. The University is situated on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe, in historic Kingston on the shores of Lake Ontario. Kingston’s residents enjoy an outstanding quality of life with a wide range of cultural, recreational, and creative opportunities, with access to many natural areas and proximity to vibrant First Nations Communities including Tyendinaga and Akwesasne. Kingston is also home to a vibrant and growing urban Indigenous community, supported by urban Indigenous organizations dedicated to Indigenous cultural revitalization and social support. The city is near Frontenac Provincial Park, the Thousand Islands National Park, and the Frontenac Arch UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The Queen’s University Biological Station, north of the city, encompasses 34 km2 of diverse lands, affording premier learning and research
opportunities (https://tinyurl.com/2p9yb73d). Visit Inclusive Queen’s for information on equity, diversity and inclusion resources and initiatives.
About Queen’s Law
Nationally and internationally recognized as a leading law school, Queen’s Law has a distinguished record of outstanding teaching and research. Located in historic Kingston, Ontario, Queen’s Law has a proud history of faculty and student engagement. Queen’s Law has a curriculum and research profile that includes Canada’s largest international law program, operated at Bader College at Herstmonceux Castle in the UK.
The Faculty leads Canadian law schools in interdisciplinary study opportunities, including programs that combine JD studies with Business, Economics, Public Administration, and Industrial Relations. The Faculty is also home to vibrant LLM and PhD programs that draw students from around the world, leading research groups such as the Centre for Law in the Contemporary Workplace and Feminist Legal Studies Queen’s, an interdisciplinary Colloquium in Legal and Political Philosophy, and five clinical programs in Poverty Law, Prison Law, Business Law, Elder Law, and Family Law.
Queen’s University has developed a Targeted Hiring Policy and Procedure in accordance with guidelines on Special Programs by the Ontario Human Rights Commission. The Targeted Hiring Policy and Procedure will be applied to fill the QNS in Indigenous Studies position.
In accordance with the University’s Employment Equity Program and pursuant to Section 14[1] of the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC), the QNS in Indigenous Studies is open only to qualified individuals who are Indigenous persons with clear and demonstrable ties to Indigenous community(ies). In accordance with the Hiring of Indigenous Specific Positions – Interim Policy, applicants will be required to provide documents confirming their Indigenous Identity. Shortlisted candidates will have their identity verified prior to being invited to interview and only applicants whose identities have been positively verified will proceed to the interview stage of the hiring process. Recognizing the intersectionality of identities within Indigenous communities, applications from Indigenous candidates who also identify as women, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+ persons will be welcome. All applicants will be invited to self-identify once they have applied; those who wish to be considered under our employment equity provisions are required to self-identify. Self-identification information will be held in confidence by the Human Rights and Equity Office and one member of the hiring committee. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians, permanent residents and Indigenous applicants defined under Section 35(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982 will be given priority.
Queen’s Targeted Hiring Policy and Procedure follows the OHRC’s guidelines on Special Programs. The requirement for applicants to be an Indigenous person will assist Queen’s University in addressing the underrepresentation of Indigenous Scholars at the university. Engaging Indigenous scholars will enable Indigenous experiences and community connections to enlighten and enrich the University, academia, and student experiences at Queen’s. It is also an opportunity to correct the historic underrepresentation at Queen’s of Indigenous scholars.
In addition, the impact of certain circumstances that may legitimately affect a nominee’s record of research achievement will be given careful consideration when assessing the nominee’s research productivity. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions.
A complete application consists of:
Cover letter;
Current Curriculum Vitae (including a list of publications);
Copies of sample publications;
Statement of teaching interests and experience, including teaching experience and supervision at both the JD and graduate levels (include course outlines and evaluations if available);
Statement of current and prospective research interests; and
Statement of experience with, and commitment to, facilitation and promotion of Indigenization, equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and accessibility.
Candidates should also be prepared to provide the names of three potential referees.
Electronic applications in PDF format are strongly preferred. Applicants should also supply information concerning any interruptions in their academic career. Writing samples will not be returned and incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applicants should submit their files by October 22, 2023 to the email address included below. The Committee may still consider applications after this date. Applications should be emailed to lawpositions@queensu.ca to the attention of:
Dean, Faculty of Law
Queen’s University
128 Union Street
Kingston, Ontario
Canada K7L 3N6
Website: http://law.queensu.ca/
The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities,
including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation during the interview process, please contact Law HR at
lawpositions@queensu.ca or (613) 533-6000, extension 74256.
Academic staff at Queen’s University are governed by a Collective Agreement between the University and the Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA), which is posted at https://www.queensu.ca/facultyrelations/qufa/collective-agreements-lous-moas and at http://www.qufa.ca.
Appointments are subject to review and final approval by the Principal. Candidates holding an existing tenure-track or continuing-adjunct appointment at Queen’s will not be considered.
[1] Please also note that Under Section 14 of the OHRC, it is not discrimination to put in place a
special hiring program if it is designed to:
· Relieve hardship or economic disadvantage
· Help disadvantaged people or groups to achieve, or try to achieve, equal opportunity or
· Help eliminate discrimination