Reports to: Program Director IHP Cities in the 21st Century

Salary Range: $28000 - $32000 (total pay for the semester salary commensurate with experience)

Anticipated Start Date: July 6 2026

Term of Employment: approximately 5-6 months

Apply by: March 1 2026

Base of Designation/Remote Eligible: Travel to New York City (USA) Argentina Spain and South Africa required.

Conditional on Enrollment

To apply: Please click on Apply above or visit to submit your application via the online system by uploading the following required items: letter of interest and CV (including the contact information of three academic references). Your letter of interest should address the questions listed further below.

Overview

School for International Training (SIT) seeks a Visiting Faculty member to join an interdisciplinary team of faculty and country coordinators leading IHPs Cities in the 21st Century: People Planning and Politics program in Fall 2026. Each semester term enrolls approximately 20-32 students from leading U.S. colleges and universities to engage in interdisciplinary urban studies in comparative and global perspectives across urban locations in four different continents. The Visiting Faculty travels with students to each location for the full duration of the semester. Please note that the following itinerary reflects past semesters and tentative future semesters but itineraries are contingent on conditions in each country and program needs: Fall 2026 (late August to mid-December): New York City (USA) Argentina Spain and South Africa

IHP cities in the 21st century: people planning and politics

Cities in the 21st Century is a comparative study abroad program that examines questions of social justice in different urban contexts across four different countries. It is an interdisciplinary semester which draws on urban political economy anthropology sociology politics development studies and planning. Its mission is to provide undergraduate students from leading U.S. colleges and universities with an intensive experiential learning-based exposure to the challenges of urbanization in different parts of the world. Students learn how to read the city through formal courses led by traveling faculty as well as through homestays with local families; guest lectures by in-country academics local politicians and policy makers; site visits and meetings with NGOs neighborhood organizations and community activists.

IHPs learning model is grounded in critical inquiry and analysis but attempts to bring those skills to bear on particular places and themes. It also helps students learn how to interact with a variety of local actors representing different and competing visions of the city and to situate claims-making within the context of unequal access to wealth resources infrastructure and political representation.

More information on IHP and our 21st Century Cities program (including more detailed itineraries and course descriptions) can be found at: IHP Cities in the 21st Century

Responsibilities

We are seeking a visiting faculty member who will:

• Teach two courses:
  • Urban Research Methods and Fieldwork Ethics
  • Urban Politics and Development
  • See IHP Cities in the 21st Century: People Planning and Politics for details
• Facilitate student learning through briefings debriefings and processing of non-lecture program components.
• Provide timely feedback on assignments.
• Participate in all country program activities including guest speakers site visits and other non-lecture components.
• Work with the Provosts Office Associate Deans Program Director and Country Coordinators to ensure that any academic administrative and student affairs associated with the program are resolved.
• Take appropriate measures to protect the health and safety of students in partnership with SIT Student Affairs and local staff.
• Ensure all students travelling on the official group flights are checked-in and through immigration.
• Collect receipts as required for all expenses incurred and complete expense reports in a timely manner according to World Learning financial policies and guidelines.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Required Experience/Education:

• Terminal degree (PhD or equivalent; All But Dissertation considered) in political economy sociology geography political science or other social science field relevant to critical urban studies.
• Expertise in at least one critical urban issue and general knowledge of urbanization history and critical urban theory.
• Experience teaching at the college level and a strong commitment to experiential learning including non-didactic methods that promote critical thinking and field-based research discussion and self-reflection.
• Experience living and working abroad ideally in at least one of the program countries listed above (preferred).
• Qualitative research experience in urban studies and/or professional experience in urban community development urban planning design or experience in/with urban social movements.

Required Behaviors

• Must be able to meet the physical emotional maturity and mental health demands as well as possess the personal qualities - patience adaptability collegiality cross-cultural competence and organization - needed to be part of an intensive team-oriented study abroad program that covers four countries in one semester.
• The ability and desire to support and communicate with students throughout the study abroad experience both in and outside of the classroom.

Vaccination is strongly recommended for all employees in our U.S. offices except for those receiving medical or religious exemptions. If boosters are subsequently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) then employees and faculty will be recommended to receive the booster within thirty (30) days of their eligibility.

Letter of Interest:

Traveling with college-aged students for an entire semester guiding their learning and field research in cities and rural environments as well as conducting classroom discussions and small-group seminars presents unique challenges and demands unique qualities of faculty members. Please consider this point carefully in your letter of interest paying special attention to how you would handle the conceptual pedagogical intercultural and interpersonal demands of this program.

What in your academic background and work experience has prepared you to step into this role What specifically interests you about this visiting faculty opportunity as opposed to a more traditional academic position