Emergency Sessional Instructional Assistant - HIS280Y1Y, L5101 History of China

HIS280Y1Y, L5101    History of China

Does China have “five thousand years of continuous history”? We will explore this deceptively simple question in this introduction to the history of what is now China from before the development of writing to the present. No previous knowledge is required. In addition to covering basic information about chronology and environment, this course will be organized around some key tensions:

• Material life and popular culture vs. ideal norms and elite culture
• Changes vs. continuities: when did key watersheds occur, and what were their consequences?
• “Chinese” societies vs. their neighbors, especially the nomadic peoples of the northern steppes
• People vs. nature–physical modifications to the environment over time
• People vs. their bodies– gender, sexuality, and families

By the end of the course, we will have explored not just what we know, but how we know about China’s history. You will be introduced to the practice of reading primary historical documents in translation, with a view to how historians use them to produce knowledge about the past.

Dates of Appointment:  September 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026

Qualifications:

Minimum M.A. in History required: good knowledge of subject matter.  Previous experience or training with Quercus is an asset.

 

Duties:

Lead tutorials, grading assignments and exams; consulting with supervisor/students; invigilating final exams; other duties as needed in consultation with instructor.

 

Estimated course enrolment: 225 students

Estimated hours per position: Approximately 151 hours

 

Lecture: Wednesday 5:00-7:00

Tutorials: Tuesday 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM; Wednesday 11:00 PM - 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

 

Rate of Pay: $54.27 per hour plus 4% vacation pay

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.

 

Application Process:

Applications should be emailed to history.cupeapplications@utoronto.ca and should include a cover letter, C.V., including previous teaching evaluations (if applicable), a completed CUPE Local 3902 Unit 3 Employment Application Form and one letter of reference that addresses your teaching skills, sent directly by your referee. 

 

Closing Date:

Thursday, September 11, 2025