Dalhousie University and the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia invite applications for the Roper-Hannah Chair in the History of Healthcare and Health Equity, a tenure stream, junior or mid-career position. The successful candidate must hold a PhD (or equivalent) in the history of medicine by the position start date of July 1, 2026, and must have an established record of research excellence. The Chair will have a primary home in the History Department at Dalhousie University, and cross-appointments with History of Science and Technology (HOST) at the University of King’s College and Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine. The successful candidate will have the equivalent of a 2:1 teaching load, with one course taught annually in History, one in HOST, and additional teaching and curriculum development done within the Faculty of Medicine. The successful candidate will take a leading role in coordinating and developing the Certificate in Medical Humanities, helping to make Dalhousie and King’s combined community a key centre of Medical Humanities through curricular innovation and a series of public-facing projects. The Chair will also be actively involved in the nation-wide community of Hannah Chairs, which are supported by AMS Healthcare, and help organize public outreach events related to Medical Humanities.
The Chair will use historical analysis to conduct, promote, and disseminate research at the intersections of the critical history of medicine/healthcare, medical ethics, and health equity. Although the specific teaching and research profile of the successful candidate will depend upon a number of factors, scholarly touchpoints of the Chair might include: complicity of medical systems in colonial structures; history of health equity framing in the healthcare system; critical global history of science and medicine, before, during and after the colonial period; medicine and healthcare beyond Eurocentric understandings and borders; critical and historically-informed interrogation of a still-largely Eurocentric understanding of bioethics and their value propositions around health and well-being. The Roper-Hannah Chair will thus be committed to developing a robust understanding of how medical traditions, healthcare systems, medical values and ethical systems change over time, and how essential an historical understanding is for getting at the origins and root causes of medical inequalities, unethical practices, disparities in the social determinants of health and disease, unequal access and outcomes of treatment, and critical perspectives on medicine, health and the human body.
Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a sample of published work, and the names of three potential referees. Letters of reference and teaching dossiers will only be sought after the files are reviewed.
The Two Universities
Dalhousie University: Established in 1818, Dalhousie is a leading research-intensive university offering more than 180-degree programs in 13 faculties. It is the largest university in Atlantic Canada and is located in the heart of Halifax, a scenic coastal city and capital of Nova Scotia, which is home to 13 Mi’kmaq First Nations, a deeply rooted historical African Canadian community, and an increasingly diverse population. Further information about the History Department, the Faculty of Medicine, and the university can be obtained at dal.ca.
University of King’s College: Established in 1789, the University of King’s College is Canada’s oldest chartered university and is associated with Dalhousie University. A small and extraordinarily lively academic community, King’s is known for its highly acclaimed interdisciplinary programs in the humanities, including its renowned Foundation Year Program. Together, King’s and Dalhousie offer an undergraduate Certificate in Medical Humanities and a Combined Honours program in History of Science and Technology (HOST). More information about HOST and the certificate can be obtained at ukings.ca.
The deadline for applications is October 1, 2025. All applications are to be submitted online. For more information, please email: history@dal.ca.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
Dalhousie University and the University of King’s College commit to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The university encourages applications from Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (especially Mi’kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. In accordance with Dalhousie’s Employment Equity Policy, preference will be given in hiring processes to candidates who self-identify as members of one or more of the equity-deserving groups listed above. For more information, including details related to Dalhousie’s Employment Equity Policy and Plan and definitions of equity-deserving groups please visit www.dal.ca/hiringfordiversity.
If you require any support for the purpose of accommodation, such as technical aids or alternative arrangements, please let us know of these needs and how we can be of assistance. Dalhousie University is committed to ensuring all candidates have full, fair, and equitable participation in the hiring process. Dalhousie’s complete Accommodation Policy can be viewed here.