Title: Assistant Professor (Southeast Asian History)
Position Number: 0082164
Hiring Unit: College of Arts, Languages & Letters
Location: Department of History
Date Posted: 10/20/2026
Closing Date: Continuous - Review of applications will begin on January 5, 2027 and will continue until filled
Salary Information: Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Monthly Type: 9 Month
Tenure Track: Tenure
Full Time/Part Time: Full Time
Temporary/Permanent: Permanent
Funding: General Funds
The Department of History invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor in the history of Southeast Asia to begin August 2027, pending position clearance and availability of funds.
The area and period of research in Southeast Asian history are open. Candidates specializing in the early modern period, Mainland Southeast Asia, or Islamic Southeast Asia are especially encouraged to apply. We also welcome applications from scholars whose research transcends conventional approaches to Southeast Asian history, including transnational or transregional scholarship on themes such as (im)mobility, the environmental and digital humanities, comparative colonialism, and religion. The successful candidate will be expected to publish peer reviewed research and teach Southeast Asia survey courses, as well as general and advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in their areas of expertise.
Southeast Asian History and Southeast Asian Studies at UHM are leading programs in the United States and the world. Its reputable faculty have produced groundbreaking scholarship and graduates who are now academics in prominent universities and successful individuals in the public and private sectors. Because of the strength of this program, UHM is consistently a top destination for students and scholars in Southeast Asian Studies, offering many Southeast Asian languages and financial support to hundreds of students.
The new faculty member in Southeast Asian history is expected to facilitate interdisciplinary dialogue and transregional collaboration with other academic departments and area studies centers. Moreover, the successful candidate will help strengthen UHM’s ties with Southeast Asian communities in Hawai‘i, meet the evolving demands of the growing Southeast Asian student body, and enrich historical understandings of the greater Asia-Pacific region.
Our campus welcomes all students but given our responsibilities to the community in which we operate, as part of our strategic mission, we strive to become a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning, a place that is committed to integrating Native Hawaiian language, culture and/or values into its academic and campus environment.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Teach lower-division undergraduate survey courses in Southeast Asian history;
- Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in area(s) of specialization and in general areas based on the needs of the department. ;
- Supervise MA and PhD students;
- Participate in graduate committees;
- Conduct research and publish in areas of specialization;
- Perform department, college and university service work;
- Other duties as assigned by the department chair.
Minimum Qualifications
- PhD or equivalent degree in History, or a related discipline (e.g., Asian Studies, Anthropology, Religion) from a college or university of recognized standing (ABD will be considered; all requirements for degree must be completed by August 2027);
- Demonstrated expertise in Southeast Asian studies or interdisciplinary Asian studies as evidenced by scholarly research and publications;
- Evidence of relevant teaching experience or demonstrated ability or potential to teach courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels;
- Research proficiency in at least one Southeast Asian language;
- Evidence of strong research capabilities;
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively and collegially with students, faculty, staff and administrators.
Desirable Qualifications
- Specialization in the early modern period in Southeast Asian history, mainland Southeast Asia or Islamic Southeast Asia;
- Demonstrated ability to teach other history survey courses such as World History;
- Ability to work in or understand at least two languages other than English.
- Demonstrated excellence in teaching, training, and supervision of graduate and/or undergraduate students.
To Apply
Click on the “Apply” button on the top right corner of the screen to complete an application and attach the following required documents:
- Cover letter indicating how you satisfy the minimum and desirable qualifications;
- Current CV;
- Academic transcripts showing highest degree received (copies are acceptable but official transcripts required at the time of hire);
- List of professional references from whom letters of recommendation will be requested by the applicant.
- Three confidential letters of recommendation - upload link (name file: Applicant Name-Reference Letter): https://www.dropbox.com/request/xc9iovirh5u6ehjfldvh. Please let your references know to submit the letters directly; invitations will not be sent.
Additional materials (e.g. teaching samples and syllabi, writing sample, published work, etc.) may be requested at a later date.
Inquiries: Dr. Vina Lanzona, Chair of the Search Committee, vlanzona@hawaii.edu
EEO, Clery Act, ADA
The University of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Institution and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment, including on the basis of veteran and disability status. For more information, visit: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/policies/
Employment is contingent on satisfying employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; reference checks of previous employers; and for certain positions, criminal history record checks.
In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, annual campus crime statistics for the University of Hawai'i may be viewed at: https://www.hawaii.edu/titleix/help/campus-security/, or a paper copy may be obtained upon request from the respective UH Campus Security or Administrative Services Office.
Accommodation Request: The University of Hawai'i complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the EEO coordinator directly. Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. For further information, please refer to the following link: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/accommodation-request/
