Sessional Lecturer: POLHF, Topics in Comparative Politics ; Becoming Israel

Course Information

Course Number and

Title:

POL
377H1 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.

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.

Estimated enrollment: 70 students

Estimated TA support: 50 hours

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

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

• 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 if rates stipulated in the collective agreement vary from rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.

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

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

• 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.

Please see the Department’s website  for the application process. All applicants for this position should submit the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 application form at (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). along with teaching evaluations if available, a current C.V., and the names and contact information for 3 references to Elizabeth Jagdeo at

Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2

SLGBTQ+ 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.

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

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The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission. The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with…