Professor of History

University of Wisconsin Madison • Irving, WI

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Department of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is seeking outstanding candidates for an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) position in the history of U.S. political economy from the Civil War to the present. The successful candidate will hold the John W. and Jeanne M. Rowe Chair in the History of American Politics, Institutions, and Political Economy. In this role, they will advance the educational mission of the College of Letters & Science by valuing, prioritizing, and actualizing evidence-based and (undergraduate and graduate) student-centered teaching and mentoring. The Rowe Chair will contribute to an environment that fosters engagement and a sense of belonging for faculty, staff, students and members of the broader community. The successful candidate will conduct innovative research that analyzes the relationship between politics, the state, and economic institutions. Their scholarship may examine the intersections of government with economic, business, labor, or legal history; the history of political-economic thought; and/or U.S. political economy from transnational or global perspectives. As the Rowe Chair, they should be able to offer undergraduate courses and graduate seminars in political economy since the Civil War; mentor undergraduate and graduate students in the methods, theories, and sources of the field; and have the capacity to teach undergraduate introductory courses that cover the broader sweep of U.S./American history from early America up until the present day. They will also be expected to provide service to the program, department, college, university, and professional community nationally and/or internationally. The Department of History at UW-Madison has a large and vibrant faculty with diverse temporal, geographical, and methodological expertise. It is especially strong in the histories of empire and transnationalism; race, ethnicity, and indigeneity, knowledge-production and education; science, technology, and the environment; and gender. The Department of History is based in the College of Letters & Science, which is committed to providing liberal arts education that is both broad and deep through innovative and empathic teaching. We hire faculty who are interested in pursuing difficult questions, producing new discoveries, making an impact in their field, and are committed to shared governance. As a member of the College of L&S, the successful candidate will proactively contribute to, support, and advance the college’s commitment to excellence among all aspects of their teaching, mentoring, research, and service. UW-Madison is situated in the heart state's capital, which is well known for offering a small town feel in a medium-sized city. Fortune named Madison #7 Happiest City in America in 2025, and for 2025-2026, US News & World Report ranked Madison #7 for Best Places to Live for Quality of Life in the US, and the American College of Sports Medicine ranked Madison the #7 Fittest City in the nation. The city consistently wins national recognition for its walkability, bikeability, natural beauty, outdoor recreation, vibrant cultural scene, and excellent health care infrastructure.

Requirements

• Demonstrate evidence of creativity and excellence in scholarly research and teaching.
• Demonstrate fostering or the ability to foster a teaching, learning, mentoring, departmental, and a research environment where all can thrive.
• PhD in History or similar required by start of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Conduct innovative research that analyzes the relationship between politics, the state, and economic institutions.
• Examine the intersections of government with economic, business, labor, or legal history; the history of political-economic thought; and/or U.S. political economy from transnational or global perspectives.
• Offer undergraduate courses and graduate seminars in political economy since the Civil War.
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate students in the methods, theories, and sources of the field.
• Teach undergraduate introductory courses that cover the broader sweep of U.S./American history from early America up until the present day.
• Provide service to the program, department, college, university, and professional community nationally and/or internationally.
• Proactively contribute to, support, and advance the college’s commitment to excellence among all aspects of their teaching, mentoring, research, and service.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree