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Assistant Professor, Critical Studies of Physical Culture & Health

York University

School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health

 

The School of Kinesiology and Health Science and the Faculty of Health at York University invite highly qualified applicants for an Assistant Professor position in Critical Studies of Physical Culture and Health. This is an open tenure-track appointment to the Professorial Stream to commence July 1, 2027.

Physical culture (including sport, movement, physical education, and fitness) and health are deeply shaped by broader social, political, and institutional forces, locally and globally. These influences demand sustained critical scholarly attention to how power, inequality, and institutional structures shape embodied practices, health outcomes, and health inequities for communities worldwide. The successful candidate will bring expertise in the critical study of physical culture and health, examining how social, political, and institutional forces shape bodies, institutions, and health inequities, specifically in research areas related to militarization, nationalism, warfare, security and surveillance regimes, and border enforcement. This position advances policy-relevant research that supports just, peaceful, and inclusive societies, in keeping with York’s commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-focused scholarship, including SDG-16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and bridges health sciences with critical social theory, political economy, and justice-oriented inquiry.

This appointment builds on existing strengths within the School of Kinesiology and Health Science https://www.yorku.ca/health/kinesiology/,  positioning the School to lead internationally in examining how sport, physical culture, and health are embedded within broader regimes of social, political, and institutional forces. The successful candidate will strengthen the School’s leadership in examining how physical culture and health are shaped by broader social, political, and institutional forces; and extend the School’s curricular priorities, by contributing to undergraduate and graduate courses that critically examine how power, violence, and technology shape embodied experiences, and will support new programming that includes the Undergraduate Certificate in Social Justice and Physical Activity and the development of a Professional Master’s in Policy Studies in Sport and Physical Activity.

Candidate Qualifications:

  • Degree: PhD in Kinesiology, Health Studies, Sociology, Equity Studies, or a related field, is required.
  • Scholarship:
  • A coherent and well-articulated program of research and specialization examining the critical study of physical culture and health as it pertains to the detailed position description above.
  • A record or evident promise of generating innovative, substantive, rigorous, and as appropriate, externally funded research. 
  • A record or evident promise of making influential contributions and demonstrating excellence to the critical study of physical culture and health as it pertains to the detailed description above (e.g., publications, conference presentations, awards, policy contributions, curriculum, knowledge mobilization).
  • A record or evident promise of engaging in community-based research or partnerships in the critical study of physical culture and health as it pertains to the description above, is considered an asset.
    • Teaching:
  • A record or evident promise of excellence in teaching and dedication to students (e.g., teaching accomplishments, pedagogical innovations, student and peer evaluations, awards). 
  • Suitability for prompt appointment to the Faculty of Graduate Studies, given that the position will involve graduate teaching and supervision.
  • Willingness and ability to teach and contribute to the School’s undergraduate and graduate programs, including the Undergraduate Certificate in Social Justice and Physical Activity and the Professional Master’s in Policy Studies in Sport and Physical Activity.

Hiring Policies:

  • The anticipated starting salary for this position at the rank of Assistant Professor is in the range of $132,000 to $162,000 and will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. York University offers generous benefits and salary provisions.
  • All York University positions are subject to budgetary approval.
  • York is an Affirmative Action (AA) employer and strongly values diversity, including gender and sexual diversity, in its community. Details of the AA Program, which applies to women, members of racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQ+, can be found here https://www.yorku.ca/unit/vpf/affirmative-action-program/ or by contacting Aqsa Ahmed, EDI Program Manager (aqsa517@yorku.ca). 
  • York welcomes and employs scholars from all over the world. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. 
  • York has a policy on Accommodation in Employment for Persons with Disabilities http://secretariat-policies.info.yorku.ca/policies/accommodation-in-employment-for-persons-with-disabilities/ and is committed to working towards a barrier-free workplace and expanding the accessibility of the workplace to persons with disabilities. Applicants who require accommodation are invited to contact Dr. Nicolette Richardson, Chair, School of Kinesiology and Health Science,  kinchair@yorku.ca.

Application Process:

  • Due date for completed applications: November 20, 2026
  • Required materials: 1) current CV; 2) cover letter; 3) one-page program of research statement; 4) one-page teaching statement, with supporting materials; and 5) names and contact information for three references. Reference letters will only be requested from shortlisted candidates.
  • Provide required information regarding your Canadian work status and optional self-identification for Affirmative Action purposes at this link:YUWorkAA http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YUWorkAA.
  • Direct questions about the position to Dr. Nicolette Richardson, Chair, School of Kinesiology and Health Science, kinchair@yorku.ca.
  • Submit materials to: kinchair@yorku.ca.

Learn More About York:

First Nations peoples have lived on this part of Turtle Island for millennia, stewarding the land, the water and all that contributes to life in this region. Today, the culture and presence of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples enrich the lands and people of this territory. More than two centuries ago, the Mississauga people welcomed settlers to this territory, providing sustenance and engaging in trade and commerce. Today, York University campuses are located on the Toronto Purchase Treaty No. 13 lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the lands of the Anishinabek of the Williams Treaties First Nations. Our campuses are also situated on the traditional territories of the Huron-Wendat and the Haudenosaunee. Treaty history is foundational, and it is our collective responsibility to honour the land, as we honour and respect those who have gone before us, those who are here and those who have yet to come. We are grateful for the opportunity to be learning, working and thriving on this land, and we commit to learn the truth and be active in the process of reconciliation.