Professor: African Queer Geographies

Share this post on

To apply, click on the link at the end of the posts and all the best with your applications.

Nelson Mandela University reserves the right not to make an appointment. In considering candidates for appointment into advertised posts, preference will be accorded to persons from a designated group in accordance with the approved Nelson Mandela University Employment Equity Plan.

Professor: African Queer Geographies (5 year fixed contract) (4952_)

Overview

Reference
4952_

Salary
ZAR/month

Job Location
– South Africa — Nelson Mandela Bay Metro — Gqeberha

Job Type
Contract

Posted
Thursday, June 19, 2025

Closing date
03 Jul 2025 21:59

CORE PURPOSE OF JOB
The Centre for Women and Gender Studies (CWGS) seeks to appoint a Professor in African Queer Geographies, to contribute towards the Mandela gender transformation and gender diversity project. The main aim of this professorship is to position Nelson Mandela University as a leader in the study and theorisation of Gender, Sexuality and African Queer Futures. Housed under the Engagement and Transformation Portfolio, this professorship is designed to position the university within global Higher Education as a leader that connects African queer geographies of thought and people’s movements to advance the protection of gender diverse communities in Africa.

As a socially-embedded university that pursues social justice, this interdisciplinary professorship aims to consolidate and systematise queer (gender non-normative) theorisation while building bridges between LGBTQIA+ activists, human rights groups and academics under the umbrella. The position further aims to provide scholarly leadership at the CWGS and supervision capacity for the envisioned Masters in Gender Studies (Coursework and Research).

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS
Research & scholarship

Contribute to knowledge production through the publication of scholarly outputs in reputable journals and peer-reviewed books, and presentations at local, national and international conferences;
Supervise Master’s students and Doctoral candidates;
Devise interdisciplinary supervision mechanisms for postgraduate students across the university;
Conceptualise and develop research methodologies that centre African queer vocabularies;
Create digital repositories of African queer movement(s) within the continent and beyond;
Engage local and regional intellectual communities towards systematic theorisation of queerness as an interdisciplinary space while further strengthening the Revitalising the Humanities project; and
Pursue external funding for research by developing and attracting project proposals that would contribute towards the sustainability of the gender transformation project at Mandela
Learning & Teaching

Promote “humanising pedagogies” within gender and sexuality studies at Mandela;
Design curricula for the Masters in Gender Studies and beyond, with particular focus on African queer geographies curricula;
Attract world-renowned queer scholars to teach within the Masters in Gender Studies in disciplines and fields such as Sociology, African Languages, Literary Studies, Visual Arts, Political Science, Philosophy and Historical Studies; and
Curate Visual Arts educational programs to archive queer African geographies.
Advocacy & Engagement

Support and develop a new generation of scholars within and beyond the Humanities and Social Sciences;
Engage across the University to embed gender transformation;
Capacitate students, local communities and practitioners in queering policy languages towards inclusive and equitable institutional cultures; and
Advance University collaborations with academic, civil, government and other stakeholders to advance African Queer Futures.
CORE COMPETENCIES

Technical/professional knowledge and skills
Knowledge of curriculum development processes, combined with necessary theoretical and administrative skills for execution
Knowledge of higher education funding landscape, and research proposal development skills
Excellent leadership and management capabilities
Excellent interpersonal skills, with particular expertise in networking and building collaborations
Ability to work with diverse stakeholders
Conflict resolution skills
Excellent communication skills and multilingual capacity (verbal and written)
Research skills and depth of knowledge in own discipline, combined with ability to undertake interdisciplinary, multi-disciplinary and transdisciplinary research
Expertise in relevant methodologies, theories and conceptual development
Show a clear understanding and application in multi-modal and visual methodologies in expressing African queer knowledges
REQUIREMENTS
An appropriate doctoral qualification in Social Sciences or Humanities fields with specialisation in Gender Studies, Sexualities, African Queer Studies, Geography, Sociology, and/or any related area of specialisation
Show advanced experience in teaching and supervision in higher education at postgraduate levels (10 years’ of experience in Higher Education)
Demonstrable a proven record of research publications in accredited international and national publishing houses
Demonstrate the ability to raise research funds and lead research projects
An ability to theorise using indigenous languages (will be an additional advantage), particularly as spoken in the Eastern Cape.
DISCLAIMER: Nelson Mandela University is a designated employer committed to pursuing excellence, diversity, inclusion, and redress in achieving its employment equity targets. Preference will be given to suitably qualified (Race and Gender) candidates in accordance with the University’s employment equity targets. No applications will be accepted after the closing date Wednesday, 02 July 2025.