Sessional Lecturer: POL377H1 F, Topics in Comparative Politics I (Becoming Israel)

Date Posted: 06/05/2026
Req ID: 48449
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Dept of Political Science
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: [[positionNumber]]
Existing Vacancy: Yes

Description:

Course Number and Title: POL377H1 F, Topics in Comparative Politics I (Becoming Israel: War, Peace, and the Politics of Israel's Identity) Course description: This course will focus on Israel's balancing act between two competing objectives, one seeking to fulfill the Zionist vision and entrench "Jewishness" within the state and the other seeking to establish democratic institutions and procedures. Since independence, Israel's official ideology, Zionism, has been shaping the state's economic, political, demographic, and security policies, designed to advance the interests of the Jewish population in Israel. The Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel fall outside the sociological boundaries of the Jewish nation and present a challenge to nation-building. At the same time, Israel's commitment to democratic principles and procedures entails guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of Palestinian Arab citizens. In this course, students will explore the most salient manifestations of the tensions between Israel's commitment to democracy and Zionism, familiarize themselves with the debates about Israel's political regime, institutions, and society, and develop their positions on these divisive debates.

Estimated course enrollment: 70 students

Estimated TA support: 50 hours

Class schedule: Friday 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

* The delivery method for this course is currently in-person. Please note that, in keeping with current circumstances, the course delivery method may change as determined by the Faculty or the Department.

Sessional dates of appointment: September 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026

Salary (includes vacation Pay):
Sessional Lecturers I - $9,997.48

Sessional Lecturers I (Long Term) - $10,699.22

Sessional Lecturers II - $10,699.22

Sessional Lecturers II (Long Term) - $10,953.96

Sessional Lecturers III - $10,953.96

Sessional Lecturers III (Long Term) - $11,228.90

Please note that should rates stipulated in the collective agreement vary from rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD is required.
• Teaching experience at the university level is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated evidence of excellence in teaching and mastery of the subject area is preferred.
• Previous experience in teaching a similar course is preferred.

Description of duties:

• Preparation of course syllabus and course marking scheme
• Planning and teaching weekly lectures
• Setting and marking assignments/tests/exams and course administration in accordance with the University regulations as described in the Faculty of Arts & Science Academic Handbook for Instructors
• Submission of grades
• Available for office hours for academic counselling of students
• Dealing with student enquiries, appeals and petitions
• Supervising and training TAs

Application Procedure:
Please see the Department's website https://www.politics.utoronto.ca/about-us/employment-opportunities/sessional-lecturers for the application process

All applicants for this position should submit the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 application form at https://uoft.me/CUPE-3902-Unit-3-Application-Form along with teaching evaluations if available, a current C.V., and the names and contact information for 3 references to:

Elizabeth Jagdeo at [email protected]

Closing Date: 06/08/2026, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: [[custEmployeeSubgroup]]
Appointment Type: [[custApptmentType]]
Schedule: [[custFullPartTime]]
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:
[[custPayScaleGrpHiringRate]]
Job Category: Sessional Instruction
Recruiter: Elizabeth Jagdeo

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.

Job descriptions are available upon request for internal applicants.