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Sessional Lecturer - NMC292H1S - The Rise of the City

Date Posted: 10/01/2026
Req ID: 47862
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Dept of Near & Middle East.Civilizations
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:Today,roughly 50–55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, but formost ofhuman history this was not the norm. Fornearly 7,000years after the first sedentary communities formed, settlements rarely exceeded 0.5–3 ha before fissioning. This pattern shifted around 4500 BC in northern Mesopotamia, where unprecedentedly large, nucleated settlements appeared—the earliest steps toward urbanism.

Mid-20th-century scholarship, especially V. G. Childe, framed this shift as a rapid “urban revolution” tied closely toemergingstates. Recent research, however, rejects a single package model, emphasizing diverse and experimental urban trajectories.

This course adopts a broad view of early Near Eastern urbanism, asking: What halted long-standing fissioning? How did diverse groups coexist in confined spaces? What forms did earlyproto-citiestake? Werecitiesproducts of revolution, evolution, or something else? How did later urban centers emerge?

Such questions resonate today as cities confront increasing migration, integration, and rising nativism.

Class Schedule: Thursdays, 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Class Format: Online

Sessional Dates of Appointment:September 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026

Please note that should rates stipulated in the collective agreement vary from rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.

Minimum Qualifications:PhD in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations or related field or equivalent knowledge and experience. Evidence of knowledge insubjectmatter.



Access to ROM collections forlabisrequired.

Description of Duties:Preparation and delivery of course content; development, administration and marking of assignments,testsand exams; holding regular office hours; calculation and submission of grades; and other teaching related duties and administrative tasks associated with an undergraduate course.

Closing Date: 10/15/2026, 11:59PM EDT
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This job is posted in accordance with the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 Collective Agreement.

It is understood that some announcements of vacancies are tentative, pending final course determinations and enrolment. Should rates stipulated in the collective agreement vary from rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.

Preference in hiring is given to qualified individuals advanced to the rank of Sessional Lecturer II or Sessional Lecturer III in accordance with Article 14:12 of the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 collective agreement.

Please note: Undergraduate or graduate students and postdoctoral fellows of the University of Toronto are covered by the CUPE 3902 Unit 1 collective agreement rather than the Unit 3 collective agreement, and should not apply for positions posted under the Unit 3 collective agreement.

Candidates who are members of Indigenous. Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ 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 position.

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building aculture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectivelyaddress and serve the interests of our global community. Westrongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples,Black and racialized persons, women, persons withdisabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities.We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment toequity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverseperspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential tostrengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see .

Accessibility Statement

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 disabilities.

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📌 Sessional LecturerS - The Rise of the City (Toronto)
🏢 University of Toronto
📍 Toronto