Southeast Asian Literary & Cultural Studies: Navigating the Job Market

Southeast Asian Literary & Cultural Studies: Navigating the Job Market

Wednesday July 22, 2020 at 4:00pm Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Please join members of the Modern Language Association’s Southeast Asian & Southeast Asian Diasporic forum to discuss how candidates working in Southeast Asian literary and cultural studies can effectively navigate the academic job market. This conversation will provide an introduction to the application process with a focus on the cover letter, CVs, job ads, and the realities of the job market. Panelists will also share insights on how to pitch Southeast Asia specializations to positions in global anglophone, Asian American, Asian studies and language depts., and comparative literature.

Zoom Panelists:
* Brian Bernards, Associate Professor of East Asian Languages & Cultures & Comparative Literature, USC
* Weihsin Gui, Associate Professor of English & Director of SEATRiP, UC Riverside
* Sheela Jane Menon, Assistant Professor of English, Dickinson College
* Cheryl Naruse, Mellon Assistant Professor in the Humanities, Assistant Professor of English, Tulane University

Zoom Meeting ID: 946 5775 4203

Please email weihsing@ucr.edu for the Zoom meeting link and password if you would like to attend.

Some brief readings to consider:

“How to Write a Successful Cover Letter” by Victoria Reyes

https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2020/01/22/dos-and-donts-writing-cover-letter-academic-job-market-opinion

“Understanding Cover Letters” by Cheryl E. Ball

https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/11/04/essay-cover-letter-academic-jobs

Alt-ac resources compiled by Jennifer Polk

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ovc1sJ6b825LdQT1lEU29Em1cICfH0MHtUfrvmBvnvg/edit

“The Alt-Ac Job Search: A Case Study” by Leonard Cassuto

https://www.chronicle.com/article/The-Alt-Ac-Job-Search-A-Case/234295