Post Specification

Post Title: / Assistant Professor in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation
Post Status: / Permanent Contract, Full-time
Department/Faculty: / Irish School of Ecumenics, Confederal School of Religions, Peace Studies and Theology, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Reports To: / Head of the School and Head of Discipline
Location: / Irish School of Ecumenics at Trinity College Dublin, 683, Antrim Road, Belfast, BT15 4EG Northern Ireland.
Salary: / Appointment will be made on the Lecturer Salary Scale at a point in line with Government Pay Policy
Closing Date: / 12 Noon GMT on 19th June 2015

Interviews for these positions are likely to take place on 20th July 2015

Post summary

The School seeks to appoint an Assistant Professor in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation to teach mainly at postgraduate level on its Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation MPhil course, under the overall direction of the Head of Department. The post is based in the ISE campus Belfast. As well as teaching on the MPhil, the appointed person will be expected to supervise MPhil dissertations and participate across the range of the School’s activities, attending the Dublin campus of ISE and Trinity College as necessary. The successful candidate will be expected to produce work of international significance in her or his field and will be research-active according to the research strategy, norms and criteria of Trinity.

The successful candidate will be a person with expertise in the areas of conflict resolution or reconciliation studies, with a background in political/social sciences or theology/religious studies.

The MPhil in CRR currently incorporates modules in the areas listed below and the successful candidate would be expected to teach in at least two of these areas, while being given the freedom to develop their own teaching profile:

Research Skills, Conflict Analysis and Models of Intervention, Dynamics of Reconciliation, Conflict Resolution Skills, Conflict Transformation, Comparative Peace Processes, Social Research for Transformation, Reconciliation in Northern Ireland, Community Learning and Reflective Practice in Northern Ireland, Theology of Reconciliation, Post Conflict Justice and Truth Commissions.

Informal enquiries are welcome and may be made to Ms. Aideen Woods, School Administrative Manager, School of Religions, Peace Studies and Theology email:

Standard Duties of the Post:

The person appointed will, under the direction of the Head of Department:

  • Undertake with vision and commitment the activities of Masters teaching and supervision and research work in relevant fields in the School’s Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation course.
  • Contribute to other courses offered by the School.
  • Contribute to the administrative requirements and responsibilities.
  • Relate professionally to the staff and student body and to the School in its complexity and integrity.
  • Participate in the planning and development of the School’s existing programme in consultation with the other staff of the School.
  • Assist with the on-going student recruitment.
  • Teach at postgraduate level within an interdisciplinary environment, students from a range of cultural and international backgrounds and ages, according to normative pedagogical modes and practice.
  • Carry out independent research and supervision of research.
  • Contribute to the research ethos, strategy and policies of college and of the Confederal School of Religions, Peace Studies and Theology and the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences in which ISE is located, collaborating as appropriate.
  • Contribute to conferences at national and international level.

The above duties are not exhaustive and will be reviewed and revised as deemed necessary. As most posts undergo change, it will be necessary for the job specification to reflect such change.

Person Specification

The successful applicant will have:

  • Completed a Ph.D.
  • Evidence of actual and of intended research output.
  • The ability to teach postgraduates in lecture, seminar and tutorial settings, to organize and conduct student fieldwork, to organize courses, supervise dissertations and fulfil designated student assessment requirements, such as essay and thesis marking.
  • Competence in supervising students in a wide range of topics.
  • Excellent communication skills;
  • Readiness to work enthusiastically and collegially in a thoroughly interdisciplinary environment and willingness to contribute to other courses offered by the School.

Qualifications (Essential and Desirable)

  • Ph.D. qualification in conflict resolution, reconciliation studies or peace studies.
  • Demonstrable academic experience commensurate with the post.

Knowledge & Experience (Essential & Desirable)

Teaching:

  • Successful track record of teaching at postgraduate and undergraduate level – Essential.
  • Competence in intercultural contexts of learning – Essential.
  • Willingness to contribute to the teaching activities of the School including designing and providing student fieldwork opportunities integrated with academic courses – Essential.
  • Experience of supervising undergraduate and postgraduate essays, projects and dissertations – Essential.
  • Experience of developing new modules and teaching material - Desirable
  • Experience of using new teaching media - Desirable.
  • Capability in working effectively in an interdisciplinary environment – Desirable.
  • Proven experience of module development and administration including designing, planning and implementing academic programmes– Desirable.
  • Experience of working with colleagues in a theory and method-pluralistic environment – Desirable.
  • Evidence of a personal contribution and commitment to excellence in teaching- Desirable.

Research:

Evidence of research achievement and potential in the form of monographs and articles in peer-reviewed journals and/or publications of similar standing – Essential.

Participation in research seminars and conferences nationally and internationally, both by invitation to provide a lecture and as participant contributor – Desirable.

To pursue and complete a strategic research and publishing plan – Desirable.

Proven or potential ability to attract external grant funding – Desirable.

  • Ability to supervise dissertations through to a successful outcome- Essential.
  • Capacity to work as part of a team - Essential.

Service to the University / Administration:

  • Experience of module and programme management and development – Desirable.
  • Experience of organizing research seminars, public events, recruitment activities – Desirable.
  • The successful candidate will be expected to participate in discipline administration,which may include Admissions, Student Recruitment, Examinations, Course Leadership and Student Attendance – Essential.
  • Proven track record in organisation and administration including leading and working collaboratively with other colleagues as part of a course team- Essential.
  • A commitment to student care- Essential.
  • A commitment to professional development- Essential.

Experience in engagement with Discipline/ Society:

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate significant engagement with the School/ Society and show strong contribution on outreach activities that include the following:

  • Shows contribution to their current School, University, Field – Essential.
  • Societal engagement relevant to the University’s mission statement – Essential.

Skills & Competencies:

  • Team work:The ability to work independently, as well as part of a team.

with openness to collaboration with colleagues in other disciplines.

  • Presentation Skills: Excellent presentation skills with the ability to engage listeners.
  • Strategic Thinking: Evidence of being a strategic thinker demonstrating vision and commitment.
  • Organisational Skills:Tried and tested organizational skills with efficiency in course-related administration.
  • Engagement with the Discipline: A commitment to scholarship, student care

andsocietal engagement relevant to the University’s mission statement.

  • Enthusiasm: for and success in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students.
  • Collaborative working: for a collegial style of working, for collaborative and interdisciplinary work in teaching and research, and for international networking.

In addition, candidates will be assessed on their demonstrated potential contribution to the School, to the University and to the wider community.

Application Information

Applications will only be accepted through e-Recruitment and should include:

  • Cover letter.
  • Full curriculum vitae to include your list of publications and the names and contact details of 3 referees (email addresses if possible).
  • Research plan (summarising research to be carried out in the next two years and including details for funding to be sought – maximum of 2 pages).
  • Teaching statement (summarising teaching experience and approach – maximum of 2 pages).

PLEASE NOTE: Candidates who do not submit this additional information will not be considered for shortlisting.

The Irish School of Ecumenics (ISE), Trinity College Dublin is a department within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, in the Confederal School of Religions, Peace Studies and Theology which contains two other departments – the School of Religions and Theology and the Loyola Institute. ISE is a cross-border department with offices and Masters Courses in Dublin and Belfast. The Belfast-based Masters course in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation is provided for approximately 15-20 students per year. The Belfast office also houses doctoral students and a range of social and ecumenical educational outreach programmes sponsored by the ISE Trust.

ISE’s teaching and research is centred on understanding conflict and the possibilities for peace, reconciliation and dialogue in many different contexts, including the political, the global, the religious and the local. Academic staff in ISE teach and research in the interdisciplinary fields of Peace Studies, Reconciliation Studies, Conflict Resolution, Intercultural Theology, Interreligious Studies and Ecumenics.

Further information on the Irish School of Ecumenics

ISE offers M.Phil. Courses in three main areas: Intercultural Theology and Interreligious Studies; International Peace Studies (both in Dublin); and in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation (Belfast), as well as a part-time Postgraduate Diploma in Conflict and Dispute Resolution Studies (Dublin). Modules engage with textual, normative and religious aspects of world faiths; Muslim-Christian and Jewish-Christian comparative theology; theological and non-theological factors in religious identity; gender and human rights themes; ethics in international affairs; comparative studies in conflict and peacebuilding (e.g., Ireland, Palestine, Sri Lanka, South Africa); religions and ethics in the global sphere. In its extensive Ph.D. programme, students specialize in diverse areas of Religion and Politics; Interreligious Studies, Politics of Development, Peace and Conflict, Intercultural Theology, Globalisation and International Relations, Ecumenical Theologies and Theologies of Reconciliation. ISE engages in collaboration with other departments – most recently with Sociology and Gender and Women’s Studies– and is involved in Trinity’s interdisciplinary Research Centres such as the International Institute for Integration Studies (Social Sciences), and the Long Room Hub (Arts and Humanities) and the Post-Conflict Justice Centre (Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities).

Modules currently delivered in Belfast include: Research Skills, Conflict Analysis and Models of Intervention, Dynamics of Reconciliation, Conflict Resolution Skills, Conflict Transformation, Comparative Peace Processes, Social Research for Transformation, Reconciliation in Northern Ireland, Community Learning and Reflective Practice in Northern Ireland, Theology of Reconciliation, Post Conflict Justice and Truth Commissions.

Modules in Dublin include: Research Methods I; Politics of Peace and Conflict; International Politics; Religions and Ethics in a Pluralist World; Conflict Resolution and Non-Violence; Human Rights in Theory and Practice; United Nations and Peacekeeping; Gender, War and Peace; Armed Conflict, Peacebuilding and Development; World Christianity and Interreligious Dialogue; Translating God(s): Intercultural Theology and Interreligious Studies; Issues in Buddhist Christian Dialogue; Christian Seeds on Hindu Soil; Muslim God, Christian God: Islam and Muslim Christian Comparative Theologies; Authority, Judaism and Jewish Christian Relations; Ecumenics as Intercultural Theology; Nature, Grace and the Triune God; Northern Ireland: Conflict, Religion and the Politics of Peace; Engaging in Religious Fundamentalism; Religion and International Relations.

Number of Lecturers

There are seven core teaching staff; and six full or part-time administrative support staff.

Number of Researchers

All academic staff within the School are research active; there is one Senior Research Fellow; one Visiting Research Fellow and a post-doctoral research assistant associated with the Slándáilproject.

Number of Students

80-100 students on average each year across all courses.

Current Externally Funded Research Projects

Slándáil Project

ISE is currently a partner in an EU funded project ‘Slándáil: the Impact of Social Media in Emergencies - Capability Project’ (2014-2017). This project will investigate cost-effective and ethically correct ways in which social media information can be used to enhance the performance of emergency management systems.

The Slándáil Project is a collaborative project between the Schools of Ecumenics and Computer Science & Statistics at Trinity, and involves universities in Padua, Leipzig and Ulster together with first responders and technology providers in Italy, Germany, Ireland and the UK. More information about the Slándáil Project is available here: ISE will undertake and oversee collaborative research on key ethical and human rights aspects concerning the societal impact of using social media during natural disaster emergencies.

Translating God(s): Comparative Theology in Europe

This four-year research project (2010-2014), was financed by a Marie Curie Grant of the FP7 European Research Framework of the European Research Council. It studied recent developments and scholarship in Anglo-American comparative theology and explored its transatlantic transfer and reception in Europe, not only stimulating its own fields of intercultural theology, theology of religion, and interreligious studies, but also advancing distinct European comparative theological scholarship.

Trinity Research

Ireland’s first purpose-built nanoscience research institute, CRANN, houses 150 scientists, technicians and graduate students in specialised laboratory facilities. Meanwhile, the state-of-the-art Biomedical Sciences Institute is carrying out breakthrough research in areas such as immunology, cancer and medical devices.

The Old Library, which houses the Long Room in Trinity, is the largest research library in Ireland, with a collection of six million printed items, 500,000 maps, 80,000 electronic journals, and 350,000 electronic books. Some of the world’s most famous scholars are graduates of Trinity, including writer Jonathan Swift, dramatist Oscar Wilde, philosopher George Berkeley, and political philosopher, and political theorist Edmund Burke. Three Trinity graduates have become Presidents of Ireland - Douglas Hyde, Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese.

Trinity is the highest ranked university in Ireland, and among the world’s leading higher education institutions.

Trinity College Dublin World University Rankings

Overall

•Trinity College Dublin is Ireland’s No.1 University (QS World University Ranking, THE World University Ranking, Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai).

•Trinity College Dublin is ranked 71st in the World and 21st in Europe in the 2013/2014 QS World University Ranking across all indicators.

Internationalisation

•Trinity College Dublin is ranked 30th in the World in the Times Higher Education Top 100 Most International Universities.

•Trinity College Dublin is 46th in the World in the QS World University Ranking 2013/2014 in terms of International Faculty.

Research Performance

•Trinity College Dublin is ranked in the top 70 universities in the world in the Times Higher Education Ranking of World Universities in terms of overall research and in the top 75 universities in the world in terms of citations (research impact).

•Trinity College Dublin is 80th in the World and 27th in Europe in the 2014 Leiden University Ranking of World Universities based on research performance alone.

•Trinity College Dublin ranks in the top 1% of research institutions in the world in the following 17 fields (an increase of over 150% from 2004): Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Social Sciences (General), Immunology, Neurosciences, Nanosciences, Materials Science, Pharmacy & Toxicology, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Biology & Biochemistry, Microbiology, Plant and Animal Science, Clinical Medicine, Agriculture, Psychiatry/Psychology, Environment/Ecology.

Subject Rankings (high level)/QS Faculty Rankings 2014*

  • In the QS Faculty Rankings 2014, Trinity College Dublin is ranked 63rd in the world in Arts and Humanities.
  • In the QS Faculty Rankings 2014, Trinity College Dublin is ranked in the world top 100 universities in Life Sciences and Medicine (in 69th place).
  • In the QS Faculty Rankings 2014, Trinity College Dublin is ranked in the world top 100 universities in Social Sciences and Management (in 89th place).

Subject Rankings (QS 2014)**

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) features in the world's elite (Top 200) institutions in 23 of the 30 subjects featured the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2014.

•Trinity College Dublin is ranked 25th in the world in English Language & Literature.

•Trinity College Dublin is ranked 42nd in the world in Modern Languages.

•Trinity College Dublin is ranked 46th in the world in Politics & International Studies.

•Trinity College Dublin is ranked 48th in the world in History.

•Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Accounting & Finance.

•Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Biological Sciences.

•Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Economics & Econometrics.

•Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Geography.

•Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Law.

•Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Medicine.

•Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Pharmacy & Pharmacology.

•Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Psychology.

* QS ‘Faculty’ Rankings 2014:

** QS Subject Rankings 2014:

The Selection Process in Trinity

  • The Selection Committee (Interview Panel) will include members of the Academic community together with an External Assessor who is an expert in the area.
  • Applications will be acknowledged by email. If you do not have confirmation of receipt within 1 day of submitting your application online, please get in touch with us immediately and prior to the closing date/time.
  • Given the degree of co-ordination and planning to have a Selection Committee available on the specified date, the College regrets that it may not be in a position to offer alternate selection dates. Where candidates are unavailable, reserves may be drawn from a shortlist.
  • Outcomes of interviews are notified in writing to candidates and are issued no later than 5 working days following the selection day.
  • In some instances the Selection Committee may avail of telephone or video conferencing.
  • The College’s selection methods may consist of any or all of the following:
  • Interviews
  • Presentations
  • Psychometric Testing
  • References
  • Situational Exercises
  • It is the policy of the College to conduct pre-employment medical screening/full pre-employment medicals.
  • Information supplied by candidates in their application (Cover Letter and CV) will be used to shortlist for interview.

Equal Opportunities Policy

Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to the employment policies, procedures and practices which do not discriminate on grounds such as gender, civil status, family status, age, disability, race, religious belief, sexual orientation or membership of the travelling community.