1/@UChiDivinity is searching for assistant professor(s) in the area of RELIGIOUS ETHICS and I met with the Dean while I was on campus this week and have his permission to help translate the ad a bit (please forward this to anyone you think might be interested). 🧵 2/First, full disclosure: I completed my MA and PhD at @UChiDivinity. I credit that institution, faculty, and my peers with the career I have—which I love! So I’m biased, but I think this is a very special place and a terrific opportunity for the right scholar(s).

As promised, here is a thread about #DiversityStatements for scholars on the job market based on a conversation Sarah Pierce Taylor and I had last week at @UChiDivinity and my experience participating in a ton of searches at @Northeastern which takes DEI VERY seriously: 1/When I went first on the market a LOOOOONG time ago, diversity statements were not a thing, and unfortunately a lot of senior faculty who mentor doctoral students have zero experience writing them, so folks often feel on their own trying to figure them out.

Not to pile it on (I know the queen just died) but here’s a bummer of a Friday thread for you:

I’m about to problematize your namaste.

#namastekilljoy
#StealingMyReligion
@Harvard_Press @HarvardUPLondon 1/Let’s start with the word: “Namaste.” It is a Sanskrit word deriving from the verb namaha, meaning “to bend.” The te at the end means “to you.”
In the Vedas namaste was used to show respect
to a divinity. But the word evolved over time….

I’ve gotten asked a bunch about negotiating a tenure-track job offers this month, so time for a thread.

1/My first piece of advice is simple: negotiate the terms of a TT offer you receive. Negotiation is expected, it’s the norm, even if no one ever taught you how to do it. 2/Approach the negotiation with a positive attitude (not entitled). Let them know you are excited to be their colleague.

PLS RT: Now accepting applications from religion scholars for a @Sacred_Writes media partnership with @pritheworld on role of religion in India’s current political climate.

Applications are due 1/10.

We are working on an official announcement but here are the details: @Sacred_Writes @pritheworld This partnership requires graduate level training in religious studies, theology, biblical studies, or a related field and is open to faculty, independent and contingent scholars, and graduate students.

I'm helping lead a workshop on #publicscholarship for humanities faculty at @Carleton_PW tomorrow, and preparing a handout with tips for writing for non-academic audiences. Sharing here, including a list of further reading at the end, b/c twitter threads with GIFs are my jam: @Carleton_PW First the "Dos":
1/ Do read more popular writing, and then as @SarahEBond has said, try to imitate that style with citation habits of scholars. You are likely a scholar because you are good a learning things...so learn from the best writers out there!

I’ve been involved in mentoring a lot of TT folks, so here is thread about being strategic with PUBLISHING in case it is helpful: I’m tenured and promoted to full. I’ve written ltrs for colleague’s dossiers for our depart, served on my college’s P&T committee & as an outside reviewer for tenure cases.

Norms will differ by discipline. I think my experience will mostly resonant with humanities folks.

Here’s a thread with some practical tips abt writing fellowship proposals bc no one taught me squat abt this in grad school.

Fellowship = an award that gets you released from teaching and service, usually for an academic yr, so you can focus on your research = THE BEST THING! I’ve won 4 fellowships since graduating, but I also serve on review panels for national competitions and also help faculty in my college w/ their proposals—folks who have won everything from Guggenheims to "boutique" fellowships. I have read & edited A LOT of proposals!

Okay #acwrit I have a new writing trick I wanted to share: #WEXTING

I love social writing (sitting in same room and writing in silence with others) but I find it IMPOSSIBLE to schedule this. So #wexting was born.

Here is how it works: 1/ Choose a #wexting partner. I recommend someone who is trying to devote a similar amount of time to writing and it helps if you like them A LOT bc writing is hard enough. Shout out to my current #wexting pal, @lizaweinstein!

My institution has been hiring a ton, which means I've attended over 20 job talks in the last 12 months. It occurred to me a thread about DOs and DON'Ts might be helpful, so here goes: Context: I work at a R1 institution, and job talks for T-T positions are presentations of the candidate's scholarship to other faculty in the department and college. Every place has its own norms. This advice is based on my experience as a faculty member who is voting on hires.