Report on the MLA Job Information List,

Transcription

1 MLA Office of Research Web publication, September by The Modern Language Association of America All material published by the Modern Language Association in any medium is protected by copyright. Users may link to the MLA Web page freely and may quote from MLA publications as allowed by the doctrine of fair use. Written permission is required for any other reproduction of material from any MLA publication. Send requests for permission to reprint material to the MLA permissions manager by mail (26 Broadway, 3rd floor, New York, NY ), or fax ( ).

2 the modern language association of america 1 IN the number of jobs advertised in the MLA Job Information List (JIL) stabilized. Compared with 29 1, the number of jobs announced in rose by 9 (8.2%) in the English edition and by 73 (7.1%) in the foreign language edition, although the number of jobs advertised in remains at a level a third below the 27 8 peak. In the JIL s En glish edition announced 1,19 positions, compared with 1,1 in 29 1; the foreign language edition announced 1,95 positions, compared with 1,22 in After trending upward between 23 4 and 27 8 (by 285 positions, or 18.5%, in En glish and 395 positions, or 3.7%, in foreign languages), the number of jobs advertised in the JIL declined by 726 (39.8%) in En glish and by 658 (39.2%) in foreign languages over the succeeding two years, 28 9 and Figure 1 shows the trend lines in the number of jobs advertised across the thirty- six years from to The 1,19 positions advertised in this past year s En glish edition remain 636 (34.8%) below the 27 8 peak of 1,826; the 1,22 jobs advertised in the foreign language edition remain 585 (also 34.8%) below the 27 8 peak of 1,68. The number of ads in the JIL increased modestly, as did the number of departments and institutions placing them. As shown in figure 2, the En glish edition contained 1,42 ads from 668 departments in 577 institutions. Figure 3 shows the equivalent information for the foreign language edition, which contained 985 ads from 652 departments in 477 institutions. Despite the slight improvement, the number of ads and the number of departments and institutions placing them remain substantially below their 27 8 levels down by 64 ads (36.7%), 279 departments (29.5%), and 214 institutions (27.1%) in the En glish edition and down by 536 ads (35.2%), 29 departments (3.8%), and 177 institutions (27.1%) in the foreign language edition.1 Both the number and proportion of ads for tenure- track positions were higher in 21 11, after dropping more than ten percentage points, to 65% of the En glish edition and to 49% of the foreign language edition, between 28 9 and In the En glish edition, the number of ads indexed as tenure- track grew by 11 (16.1%) since 29 1 and made up 7.% of the year s total. In the foreign language edition, the number of ads indexed as tenure- track grew by 87 (19.5%) since 29 1 and made up 54.2% of the total. Until last year, between 75% and 8% of ads in En glish and between 6% and 65% of ads in foreign languages were consistently identified as tenure- track. At 7.% in En glish and 54.2% in foreign languages this year, the percentage of ads for tenture- track positions falls midway between the established norm and last year s low (fig. 4 and fig. 5). Once again this year, departments announced more positions later in the year. For the second year in a row and only the second time in the thirty- six- year history of the JIL counts more ads appeared in the February, April, and Summer issues 211 by the Modern Language Association of America

3 the modern language association of america 2 Report on the MLA Job Information List, than in the October and December issues 52.6% of ads in the En glish edition and 6.% of ads in the foreign language edition (fig. 6 and fig. 7). The number of jobs in the 21 October En glish list 38 was the lowest October number on record; the 25 jobs in the 21 October foreign language list exceeded by 5 last October s record low of 2 jobs. In part, the shift, especially the notable decline in ads appearing in the October issues, reflects changes connected with the JIL s becoming an online searchable database that is updated weekly. The October issues match the database as initially released for searching in mid- September. That is, as a searchable database, the JIL makes the same set of ads available for searching online in mid- September that appear in the print issues published in mid- October. When the JIL was available only in print form, an ad that missed the deadline for October had to wait for the December print issue, which is not mailed until late November. Now an ad that misses the print deadline for October may become available to job seekers online in the third week of September. The economic recession, however, has clearly amplified the emergent trend toward a greater portion of the year s total appearing in December and later issues. Almost all the positions announced in the JIL are full- time, and thus the JIL affords no insight into the scale of departments hiring of part- time faculty members. The number of ads tagged as openings for full- time tenure- track assistant professors and for full- time non- tenure- track instructors does serve as a valuable barometer of trends in opportunities for full- time, entry- level academic employment in four- year institutions available to new and recent graduates of PhD programs. (Few two- year colleges elect to use the JIL to advertise openings on their faculties.) This year, in English, 541 (51.9%) of all 1,42 ads were indexed for both tenure- track and assistant professor; an additional 92 (8.8%) were tagged as tenure- track, assistant professor, and some other rank. In foreign languages, 384 (39.%) of all 985 ads were indexed for both tenure- track and assistant professor; an additional 7 (7.1%) were tagged as tenure- track, assistant professor, and some other rank. Figure 8 and figure 9 show the modestly higher number and percentage share of ads for tenure- track assistant professors this year as compared with last as well as the dramatic numerical decline that occurred after Table 1 and table 2 show in more detail how departments have tagged their ads using the four index terms for rank instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor across the eleven years from 2 1 to Table 3 and table 4 show detail for how departments have used the search terms for field specialization to tag ads across the eleven years 2 1 to The percentage values represent the percentage of ads tagged using any given search term. Because departments use multiple search terms for each ad, the percentage values sum to a total far greater than 1% of each year s total number of ads. The percentage values for field specializations in the En glish edition show considerable stability across the eleven- year period, compared with the fluctuation in the number of ads. Across the eleven years, roughly 3% of ads have consistently been tagged as composition and rhetoric, another 3% as British literature, and roughly a third as American literature (including African American literature). In the foreign language edition, however, change is evident in the tagging of ads. Over the eleven- year period,

4 the modern language association of america 3 Report on the MLA Job Information List, the percentage of ads for Spanish has dropped from close to 5.% to 42.3%, while the percentage tagged for Chinese has grown from 2.9% to 8.2%. Note 1. The number of jobs is always somewhat greater than the number of ads, since some ads announce more than one job.

5 the modern language association of america 4 2,5 2, 1,5 1, ,31 1,45 1,515 1, ,166 1,237 1,297 1,238 1,152 1,159 1,238 1,75 1,134 1,192 1,188 1,129 1,98 1,88 1,19 1,47 1,325 1,327 1,193 1,121 1,338 1,387 1,354 1,352 1,442 1,368 1,488 1,288 1,365 1,456 1,461 1,492 1,622 1,637 1,57 1,517 1,575 1,73 1,67 1,7 1,741 1,857 1,873 1,895 1,978 2,75 Fig. 1. Total Number of Jobs Advertised in the MLA JIL, to Foreign language edition English edition 1,22 1,95 1,227 1,1 1,369 1,367 1,2851,369 1,361 1,19 1,38 1,482 1,541 1,591 1,68 1,732 1,68 1,828 1,739 1,687 1,793 1,826

6 the modern language association of america 5 Number of Ads 1,8 1,6 1,4 1,2 1, Fig. 2. Number of Ads Placed in the English JIL and the Number of Departments and Institutions Placing Ads, 2 1 to ,646 1,621 1,573 1,537 1,497 1,482 1,436 1, , , Ads Departments Institutions 1,4 1,2 1, Number of Departments and Institutions

7 the modern language association of america 6 Number of Ads 1,6 1,4 1,2 1, Fig. 3. Number of Ads Placed in the Foreign Language JIL and the Number of Departments and Institutions Placing Ads, 2 1 to ,521 1,379 1,436 1,253 1, ,248 1,237 1, , Ads Departments Institutions Number of Departments and Institutions 1, 1,2

8 the modern language association of america 7 1,8 1,6 1,4 1,2 1, Fig. 4. Number and Percentage of Ads Indexed for Tenure Status in the English JIL, 24 5 to (2.3%) 36 (2.4%) 27 (18.%) 281 (19.%) 37 (2.4%) 315 (2.%) 49 (3.%) 353 (21.4%) 48 (3.9%) 255 (2.8%) 32 (3.3%) 35 (3.4%) 34 (31.5%) 278 (26.7%) 1,193 (79.7%) 1,165 (78.6%) 1,221 (77.6%) 1,244 (75.6%) 925 (75.3%) 628 (65.1%) 729 (7.%) Tenure status not specified Non-tenure-track Tenure-track

9 the modern language association of america 8 1,6 1,4 1,2 1, Fig. 5. Number and Percentage of Ads Indexed for Tenure Status in the Foreign Language JIL, 24 5 to (1.8%) 4 (2.6%) 35 (2.8%) 26 (2.1%) 417 (33.4%) 411 (33.2%) 55 (38.3%) 576 (37.9%) 45 (4.%) 394 (34.7%) 29 (3.2%) 31 (3.1%) 437 (47.9%) 42 (42.6%) 796 (63.8%) 8 (64.7%) 86 (59.9%) 95 (59.5%) 695 (61.3%) 447 (49.%) 534 (54.2%) Tenure status not specified Non-tenure-track Tenure-track

10 the modern language association of america 9 2,5 2, 1,5 1, April 5 29 February December October Summer Fig. 6. Number of Positions Advertised in the Five Issues of the English JIL, to

11 the modern language association of america 1 2,5 2, 1,5 1, February December 39 October April Summer Fig. 7. Number of Positions Advertised in the Five Issues of the Foreign Language JIL, to

12 the modern language association of america 11 1,8 1,6 1,4 1,2 1, Fig. 8. Number and Percentage of Ads Indexed for Tenure Status and Rank in the English JIL, 24 5 to (2.4%) 49 (3.%) 34 (2.3%) 27 (18.%) 167 (11.2%) 36 (2.4%) 281 (19.%) 169 (11.4%) 176 (11.8%) 19 (12.8%) 315 (2.%) 156 (9.9%) 181 (11.5%) 353 (21.4%) 175 (1.6%) 192 (11.7%) 48 (3.9%) 255 (2.8%) 129 (1.5%) 151 (12.3%) 32 (3.3%) 34 (31.5%) 35 (3.4%) 278 (26.7%) 96 (9.2%) 81 (8.4%) 92 (8.8%) 85 (56.8%) 86 (54.4%) 884 (56.2%) 877 (53.3%) 645 (52.5%) 78 (8.1%) 469 (48.7%) 541 (51.9%) Tenure status not specified Non-tenure-track positions Other tenure-track positions Tenure-track assistant professor and some other rank (more than one index term for rank chosen) Tenure-track assistant professor

13 the modern language association of america 12 1,6 1,4 1,2 1, Fig. 9. Number and Percentage of Ads Indexed for Tenure Status and Rank in the Foreign Language JIL, 24 5 to (2.6%) 26 (1.8%) 35 (2.8%) 26 (2.1%) 55 (38.3%) 576 (37.9%) 45 (4.%) 417 (33.4%) 411 (33.2%) 117 (9.4%) 11 (8.9%) 123 (9.9%) 121 (9.8%) 14 (7.2%) 131 (8.6%) 114 (7.9%) 14 (9.2%) 394 (34.7%) 8 (7.1%) 97 (8.6%) 29 (3.2%) 437 (47.9%) 31 (3.1%) 42 (42.6%) 8 (8.1%) 556 (44.6%) 569 (46.%) 642 (44.7%) 634 (41.7%) 518 (45.7%) 69 (7.6%) 56 (6.1%) 322 (35.3%) 7 (7.1%) 384 (39.%) Tenure status not specified Non-tenure-track positions Other tenure-track positions Tenure-track assistant professor and some other rank (more than one index term for rank chosen) Tenure-track assistant professor

14 the modern language association of america 13 Table 1. Number and Percentage of Ads in the English JIL Indexed for Various Ranks, 2 1 to Assistant professor 1,25 1, , % 65.5% 67.1% 63.5% 63.9% 61.7% 63.9% 6.1% 58.1% 58.3% 61.7% Instructor or assistant professor % 2.% 2.5% 2.9% 2.3% 3.1% 2.4% 2.1% 1.5% 2.6% 2.6% Assistant professor or associate professor % 6.8% 6.7% 9.% 8.1% 8.2% 7.7% 7.6% 8.6% 5.1% 6.% Assistant professor, associate professor, or professor % 5.1% 3.6% 3.2% 3.5% 4.% 3.4% 4.3% 4.5% 4.3% 2.3% Other combinations including assistant professor %.7%.5%.6%.9%.9%.6%.7%.7%.9%.9% Instructor % 8.% 7.9% 7.6% 9.1% 8.4% 8.3% 1.8% 12.9% 16.3% 11.5% Associate professor % 1.4% 1.2% 2.2% 1.4% 1.6% 1.7% 1.7% 1.4% 1.% 1.8% Associate professor or professor % 4.2% 3.5% 2.9% 4.1% 3.4% 4.9% 4.3% 3.7% 2.9% 2.7% Professor % 2.5% 2.9% 4.% 2.8% 4.1% 2.5% 3.3% 3.1% 2.4% 3.% Other combinations not including assistant professor %.1%.%.1%.1%.2%.%.%.%.3%.% Rank not specified or not relevant % 3.7% 4.2% 4.% 3.7% 4.3% 4.7% 5.1% 5.7% 5.9% 7.5% Total 1,621 1,537 1,436 1,362 1,497 1,482 1,573 1,646 1, ,42 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.%

15 the modern language association of america 14 Table 2. Number and Percentage of Ads in the Foreign Language JIL Indexed for Various Ranks, 2 1 to Assistant professor % 59.% 6.9% 56.7% 55.2% 55.5% 55.1% 51.2% 56.% 49.5% 51.1% Instructor or assistant professor % 5.7% 4.3% 6.4% 5.8% 5.6% 4.5% 4.5% 4.6% 5.% 5.4% Assistant professsor or associate professor % 4.9% 6.1% 5.5% 6.1% 4.9% 5.1% 5.7% 5.6% 3.9% 5.4% Assistant professor, associate professor, or professor % 3.8% 2.7% 2.6% 3.4% 4.% 2.9% 3.8% 3.2% 2.8% 1.1% Other combinations including assistant professor %.6%.8%.6%.6%.7%.8% 1.1%.7%.9%.8% Instructor % 14.6% 13.6% 16.3% 16.8% 17.7% 21.% 21.% 17.1% 24.1% 22.1% Associate professor %.9%.6%.9% 1.2% 1.4% 1.% 1.6% 1.4% 1.4%.7% Associate professor or professor % 3.6% 4.% 4.1% 4.5% 4.% 3.4% 2.8% 3.% 2.8% 3.2% Professor % 2.5% 2.1% 2.2% 2.3% 2.7% 2.% 2.8% 2.3% 2.8% 2.8% Other combinations not including assistant professor %.%.%.1%.%.%.1%.1%.2%.3%.% Rank not specified or not relevant % 4.5% 4.9% 4.6% 4.1% 3.5% 4.1% 5.3% 5.9% 6.2% 7.3% Total 1,379 1,253 1,256 1,176 1,248 1,237 1,436 1,521 1, % 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.% 1.%

16 the modern language association of america 15 Table 3. Percentage of Ads Published in the English JIL, 2 1 to 21 11, by Field-Specialization Index Term Index term Composition and rhetoric Technical and business writing Creative writing British literature American literature Literature in English other than British or American African American literature Other minority literatures Postcolonial literature World literature Comparative literature Generalist Criticism, theory Cultural studies Film Technology and digital media Interdisciplinary English education Linguistics and ESL Other fields of specialization Department chair and other administrative Nonacademic Spanish Latin America Portuguese French Francophone studies Italian German and Scandinavian Russian and Slavic Arabic Hebrew Classical Chinese Japanese Other languages Number of ads (basis for percentages) 1,621 1,537 1,436 1,362 1,497 1,482 1,573 1,646 1, ,42 Notes Departments may use multiple index terms to classify their ads, therefore the percentage of ads indexed for various field specialties adds up to a total greater than 1%. The list of terms available for departments to index their ads has varied from year to year; blank cells indicate years when a given term was not available. In any given year some 15 to 3 ads call for specializations in both English and foreign languages and appear in both the English and foreign language editions; both English and foreign language index terms are available to classify these ads.

17 the modern language association of america 16 Table 4. Percentage of Ads Published in the Foreign Language JIL, 2 1 to 21 11, by Field-Specialization Index Term Index term Spanish Latin America Portuguese French Francophone studies Italian German and Scandinavian Russian and Slavic Arabic Chinese Japanese Hebrew Classical Other languages Linguistics and ESL Comparative literature World literature Cultural studies Postcolonial literature Criticism, theory Film Technology and digital media Interdisciplinary Generalist Department chair and other administrative American literature African American literature Other minority literatures British literature Literature in English other than British or American Composition and rhetoric Technical and business writing Creative writing English education Other fields of specialization Nonacademic Number of ads (basis for percentages) 1,379 1,253 1,256 1,176 1,248 1,237 1,436 1,521 1, Notes Departments may use multiple index terms to classify their ads, therefore the percentage of ads indexed for various field specialties adds up to a total greater than 1%. The list of terms available for departments to index their ads has varied from year to year; blank cells indicate years when a given term was not available. In any given year some 15 to 3 ads call for specializations in both English and foreign languages and appear in both the English and foreign language editions; both English and foreign language index terms are available to classify these ads.