Limited Term Appointment: Department of Indigenous Studies, Law & Social Justice

Faculty/Academic Area: Faculty of Liberal Arts 

Department: Indigenous Studies 

Campus: Brantford 

Employee Group: WLUFA 

Requisition ID: 10715 

Faculty and Department/Area: Faculty of Liberal Arts, Department of Indigenous Studies, Law and Social Justice 

Position Location: Brantford 

Rank/s of the Position: Lecturer or Assistant Professor

Type of Position: 2-year Limited Term Appointment 

Anticipated Salary Range:  $90,000 to $102,000.  Actual salary to be commensurate with education and experience.

Area of Specializations: Candidates must have the ability to teach in the following areas:  

• Indigenous methodologies 

• Indigenous-Settler Relations and Allyship 

• Indigenous community organizing 

The Department of Indigenous Studies, Law, and Social Justice at Wilfrid Laurier University invites applications for a First Nations, Métis, or Inuit (FNMI) Indigenous Scholar for a 24-month Limited Term Appointment at the rank of Lecturer or Assistant Professor commencing July 1st, 2026, subject to budgetary approval. 

Laurier’s campuses and locations are on the Haldimand Tract, within the traditional territories of the Neutral, Anishnaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. A short 2.5-hour drive of 18 First Nations communities, including the Six Nations of the Grand River— the most populous First Nation in Canada — and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Kitchener-Waterloo and Brantford both have large urban Indigenous populations. There are 12 Métis councils within a 3-hour radius. We recognize the unique heritages of Indigenous peoples and support their right to preserve and express their distinctive Indigenous cultures, histories, and knowledge through academic programming, research, and co-curricular activities. Aligned with Laurier’s Indigenous Strategic Plan: Principles for Indigenization, Reconciliation, the university honours Indigenous knowledge through diverse ongoing initiatives, programs, funding events, and positions, including the university’s Indigenous Student Centres, the Indigenous Knowledge Fund, Indigenous Education Week and the annual Indigenous Research Symposium. Laurier regularly welcomes Visiting Elders and has an Indigenous Curriculum Specialist, as well as a growing number of Indigenous faculty, students, and staff.

Position Summary:

The Department of Indigenous Studies, Law, and Social Justice is seeking an Indigenous scholar whose teaching and research engage Indigenous methodologies to focus on critical analyses of settler colonialism, community organizing and social change, and Indigenous-settler relations, including relations and practices of allyship between non-Indigenous and Indigenous communities that are rooted in accountability to Indigenous communities.  

The successful candidate will teach five (5) courses in the Indigenous Studies program per academic year primarily in-person on Laurier’s Brantford campus, with some teaching required in a virtual synchronous or virtual asynchronous format. The successful candidate will also contribute to program development in Indigenous Studies and academic service to the Department of Indigenous Studies, Law, and Social Justice. 

In the first year, the successful candidate will teach the following four (4) courses on the Brantford campus: Indigenous-Settler Relations (ID360), Indigenous Community Organizing (ID375), Indigenous Methodologies (ID400), Indigenous Allyship and Kinship (ID/YC401). The maximum number of students in these courses range from 25-50 students. For the fifth course, the candidate will be given the option to teach either the virtual synchronous course Indigenous Peoples and Media (ID100) or the virtual asynchronous course Indigenous Forms of Justice (ID/LY/CC309).  

For the second year of the appointment, the teaching assignment will be determined in consultation with the successful candidate, and is expected to include Introduction to Indigenous Studies (ID/SOJE120). Opportunities to teach on Laurier’s Waterloo campus may be available if the candidate is interested.

The salary range for this position would be $90,000 to $102, 000 subject to budgetary approval. This is a unionized position, part of the WLUFA full-time bargaining unit.  

This position is located on the Brantford campus of Wilfrid Laurier University. The Brantford Campus is interwoven into Brantford’s downtown core with more than 3000 undergraduate and graduate students, over 80 full-time faculty, and 18 different programs across four different faculties. Neighbouring Laurier's Brantford campus are the Woodland Cultural Centre and Six Nations Polytechnic. The City of Brantford is approximately a one-hour drive along the QEW and Hwy. 403 from Toronto and the Niagara region and boasts a healthy arts and culture scene, world-class trails system for walking and biking, and a strong slate of festivals and events. 

Qualifications: 

The successful candidate will bring knowledge, training, and lived experiences that enable them to teach in the fields of Indigenous methodologies, Indigenous community organizing and Indigenous-settler relations and accountable allyship that focuses on relationality and community-led approaches.  

Candidates will also demonstrate an active research program that engages with Indigenous methodologies and ways of knowing and provide evidence of the ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and student-centered university environment, speaking to any previous academic service that has been undertaken. 

Applicants must have completed a doctoral degree (PhD), or be all but dissertation (ABD), in Indigenous studies or a related humanities, social sciences or professional discipline, such as (but not limited to) sociology, history, political science, public administration, social work, or philosophy. Candidates must provide evidence of a depth of university teaching experience at the level of course instructor (or equivalent) and demonstrate the ability to teach from Indigenous ways of knowing and being. 

Applicants with equivalent qualifications may be considered if they can demonstrate a depth of university teaching experience at the level of course instructor (or equivalent) in listed subject areas (Indigenous methodologies, Indigenous-settler relations and allyship, and Indigenous community organizing). Equivalent qualifications can include those who are in early stages of a doctoral degree or have completed a master’s degree in addition to significant professional and community experience. Preference will be given to candidates currently enrolled in a doctoral degree (PhD) program.  

Program/Faculty Description:  

Indigenous Studies is a growing, interdisciplinary program whose goal is to help students understand and critique the ways in which colonial narratives shape and control contemporary discourses about Indigenous peoples. Indigenous Studies courses require an examination of the ways in which both historical and ongoing acts of colonization galvanize Indigenous communities’ resistance, worldviews, and ways of knowing. The program provides an understanding of contemporary issues as they relate to Indigenous peoples. Employing a holistic approach, the program fosters a greater understanding of Indigenous peoples, their histories, and their place in the world. The program can be completed in combination with several Brantford-based programs and an Indigenous Studies minor is also available.   

In addition to situating Indigenous knowledge within the Liberal Arts curriculum, the Indigenous Studies program supports Indigenous students attending Wilfrid Laurier University and encourages non-Indigenous students to commit to reconciliation and decolonization. Information about Laurier’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives is available on their webpage.   

The Faculty of Liberal Arts, located at the Brantford campus, offers a wide range of programs, from traditional arts disciplines such as English and History to innovative and cutting-edge fields of study such as User Experience Design. In all the programs students get both knowledge and know-how; all programs offer experiential learning opportunities. Through several unique partnerships with Conestoga College and the University of Sussex, students have opportunities to include postgraduate certificates or an additional degree. The Master of Arts program in Social Justice and Community Engagement offered by the faculty is unique in Canada. The Faculty currently has nearly 800 students and 33 full-time faculty, as well as many part-time instructors. 

How to apply: 

Candidates who identify as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit are encouraged to apply by including the following in their application (please note that additional materials may be requested through the review process):

• a letter of intent including the candidate’s research and teaching interest and where this best aligns with the position description and qualifications; 

• a curriculum vitae;

• a statement on teaching philosophy, and any evidence of teaching effectiveness (such as a peer teaching review and student/participant feedback).  

• sample publication, scholarly output, or URL link to public presentations. 

• the names and contact information of three referees, with a preference for at least one academic reference and at least one community reference (will not be contacted without the candidate’s consent).

As you consider applying, we would like to bring the following to your attention:

• Consistent with Laurier’s Indigenous Identity Verification Process, candidates are required to submit written documentation of Indigenous identity, or a self-declaration that includes specific information about their ongoing relationship to a legally recognized and inherent Indigenous community, Nation, or people, in North America. The process is used to ensure that these designated opportunities are awarded to Indigenous people from North America. As per the university’s policy, candidates who are short listed for the position will be contacted and asked for confirmation of their Indigenous identity before being invited for an interview.

Applications can be addressed to Dr. Rebecca Godderis, Chair of the Indigenous Studies, Law and Social Justice Department, c/o Celine Taillefer-Travers, Academic Program Assistant and submitted electronically to ctravers@wlu.ca. Applications will be accepted until April 6, 2026 at 11:59PM. 

Wilfrid Laurier University is committed to employment equity and values diversity. Laurier welcomes applications from qualified members of the equity-deserving groups.  Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programming at Laurier are welcome to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at indigenous@wlu.ca. Candidates from other equity deserving-groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programming at Laurier are welcome to contact Equity and Accessibility at equity@wlu.ca. 

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, as per Canadian immigration laws, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University is obligated to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenships; however, all applicants must include one of the following statements in their cover letter: 

• Yes, I am a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada; 
• No, I am not a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada 

Members of designated groups must self-identify to be considered for employment equity. Candidates may self-identify, in confidence, to Dr. Tarah Brookfield (tbrookfield@wlu.ca), Interim Dean of Faculty of Liberal. Further information on the equity policy can be found outlined in Policy 8.4.

Applicants are encouraged to address any career interruptions or special circumstances that may have affected their record of research and teaching, in accordance with Tri-Council definitions and guidelines. Laurier strives to make our application process accessible and provides accommodations for both applicants and employees as outlined in Policy 8.7. If you require assistance applying for this position, to obtain a copy of this job description in an accessible format, or would like to discuss accessibility and accommodations during the recruitment process please email equity@wlu.ca. 

The Department of Indigenous Studies, Law, and Social Justice wishes to thank all applicants for their interest. All nominations and applications shall be reviewed and considered in relation to criteria established by the Search Committee and a short list of candidates shall be interviewed. Only those applicants selected for the short list will be contacted.

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier's Employee Success Factors.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found at careers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-apply/

Should you be interested in learning more about this opportunity, please visit www.wlu.ca/careers for additional information and the online application system. All applications must be submitted online. Please note, a CV and letter of introduction will be required in electronic form.