Teaching

I have taught several undergraduate courses as the instructor of record at Skidmore College, the University of Maine, and the University at Albany. 

Below are course descriptions and syllabi for current and previous courses for which I served as the instructor of record.

Skidmore College

  • PL 103: Introduction to Comparative and International Politics (Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Summer 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025)
    • A survey of the key concepts and principles of comparative politics and international relations. Issues covered include state building and state failure; the functioning of democratic and non-democratic regimes and the ideologies that support them; the changing nature of the international system; the causes of war and search for peace; and problems of national and transnational security, such as terrorism, globalization, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and environmental challenges.
    • CWillis PL 103 S24
  • PL 201: Principles of International Relations (Fall 2024)
    • An essential foundation for advanced study in international relations. Students investigate the tumultuous international political events from the nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century and the big concepts of the period-balance of power, extreme nationalism, diplomacy, and international organization. We will explore the Treaty of Westphalia, World War I, the League of Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the United Nations, the European Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Cold War, and US hegemony. We will also delve into key international relations theories such as realism, liberalism, constructivism, and others. Additionally, we will examine concepts such as (mis)perception, alliances, soft power, war, nationalism (in foreign policy), and system polarity.
  • PL 228: US Foreign Policy (Spring 2024) 
    • This course examines the development and current features of American foreign policy focusing on the international challenges and opportunities faced by the United States after the end of the Cold War. It analyzes some of the major patterns of United States foreign policy, reviews some important interpretations and methodological approaches to the study of United States foreign policy, discusses the ideological components of these policies, examines the foreign policy actors and the decision-making process in which they participate, and evaluates the changing objectives and circumstances shaping recent American international initiatives. Special attention will be devoted to the impact of the end of the Cold War and the rise of interdependence and globalization on recent United States economic, strategic, and environmental foreign policies as well as in the formulation of specific approaches to different regions of the world.
    • CWillis PL 228 S24
  • PL 365: East Asian Politics (Fall 2023, Fall 2024)
    • This course examines the internal political processes and regional and global dynamics of one of the most important regions in the world. We will focus on a variety of countries in the region, including but not limited to China (including Taiwan and Hong Kong), Japan, and North and South Korea as well as several countries in Southeast Asia including the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. We will also explore the impact of great powers and great power competition on the region, including the roles of the US and Russia in East Asia.
    • CWillis PL 365 v1
  • PL 366: Global Militarization and the Politics of Empire (Spring 2024)
    • Historically, various countries have tried to assert their dominance over the globe through conquest, monopolizing trade networks, and other means, often in competition with other powerful countries. In this class, we will examine the politics of empire-building from both historical and contemporary perspectives, with special attention to military power. Drawing on examples from across the globe, we will explore why countries try to establish global dominance, different manifestations of “empire,” how countries’ strategies for global dominance have changed over time, how other countries perceive countries attempting to establish global dominance, and how empire-building impacts people’s everyday lives.
    • CWillis PL 366 S24
  • PL 366: Great Power Competition in the Global South (Spring 2025)
    • What is “great power competition” and in what ways has it involved actors in the Global South? In this course, we will explore the ways that great powers in the international system have interacted with territories and countries in the Global South, at times competing with other great powers for resources and influence. We will explore the impacts of great power competition on the governments, societies, economies, and the environment in the Global South. Additionally, we will consider the agency of Global South countries and how they manage great power competition in their region, often between relatively stronger countries from other regions. We will examine these dynamics historically (with an emphasis on empire and colonization) and contemporary manifestations of great power competition in the Global South, focusing on the US, China, the Soviet Union/Russia, and the United Kingdom. The course will focus primarily on Southeast Asia, although we will also consider the Global South as a whole and other regions within the Global South including Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East as well.
    • CWillis PL 366 v.1

University of Maine

  • POS 241: Introduction to Comparative Politics (Fall 2020)
    • What accounts for the rise in nationalism in many nation-states? What explains the rise of violent transnational extremist groups such as the Islamic State? What is democracy, and why does it emerge in some contexts but not others? Why do some countries struggle to develop economically? In this course, we will explore the theories and concepts through which political scientists try to answer these important questions. In doing so, we will examine both classical and contemporary debates in the subfield of comparative politics as well as a variety of case studies. At the conclusion of the course, students will not only understand major theories and concepts in this political science subfield but will also be to apply them to some of the most pressing political issues of our time.
    • CWillis POS 241 F20
  • POS 349: Topics in Comparative Politics: Contentious Politics (Fall 2021)
    • The study of contentious politics focuses on politics outside of the normal boundaries of institutionalized politics. From protests and social movements to rebellions and revolutions, contentious politics have often led to major shifts in domestic political orders. This course will examine some key questions in the study of contentious politics such as: why do people join protests? Under what conditions do social movements emerge? When are social revolutions successful? Why do groups choose to engage in political violence in some instances and non-violent action in others? We will explore answers to these questions using contentious politics theories as well as historical and contemporary cases both in the US and abroad.
    • CWillis POS 349- Contentious Politics 12.3.21
  • POS 349: Topics in Comparative Politics: Nation-Building and Nationalism (Spring 2021)
    • The resurgence of nationalist movements over the past several decades has highlighted the importance of understanding theories of nationalism and nation-building. This course will examine questions important to the study of nationalism and nation-building such as: what is the difference between a nation and a state? How does nation-building impact citizenship? How do nationalist politics impact the relationships between countries? What is the impact of nationalism on regional integration and vice-versa? Answers to these questions and more will be explored both through theoretical lenses and case studies.
    • CWillis POS 349- Nation-Building v8

University at Albany (SUNY)

  • RPOS 102: Introduction to Comparative Politics and International Relations (Summer 2019, Winter 2020, Summer 2020, Winter 2021, Summer 2021, Summer 2023)
    • Why do some countries like North Korea pursue nuclear weapons while a majority do not? Why do some countries take more aggressive efforts to try to deter climate change than others? What accounts for the rise in nationalism in many nation-states? What explains the rise of violent transnational extremist groups such as the Islamic State? In this course, we will explore the theories and concepts through which political scientists try to answer these contemporary questions. In doing so, we will examine both classical and contemporary works in the subfields of comparative politics and international relations. At the conclusion of the course, students will not only have an understanding of major theories and concepts in these political science subfields but will also be to apply them to some of the most pressing political issues of our time. 
    • CWillis RPOS 102
  • RPOS 362: Nationalism and Nation-Building (Fall 2019, Winter 2022)
    • The resurgence of nationalist movements over the past several decades has highlighted the importance of understanding theories of nationalism and nation-building. This course will examine questions important to the study of nationalism and nation-building such as: what is the difference between a nation and a state? How does nation-building impact citizenship? How do nationalist politics impact the relationships between countries? What is the impact of nationalism on regional integration and vice-versa? Answers to these questions and more will be explored both through theoretical lenses and case studies.
    • CWillis RPOS 362- Nation-Building v1
  • AEAK/AHIS 389 (AEAK/RPOS 422): North Korea—History, Culture, Politics (Spring 2021, Spring 2024, Spring 2025)
    • As one of the few truly isolated countries remaining in the world, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) is constantly making American and international news headlines. This course is designed to provide an overview of North Korea’s history, culture, politics, and international relations from its inception to the present day. We will explore the cult of the Kim family, North Korea’s brand of communist ideology, how the nation was shaped by imperialism and Cold War, and why it continues to pursue nuclear weapons programs despite internal crisis. The course will also investigate questions such as:
      • Why has the Kim regime endured while so many other authoritarian regimes have fallen?
      • Why does a humanitarian crisis persist in North Korea and what role has the international community played in mitigating this crisis?
      • How have North Korea’s interactions with the US, Russia, China, Japan, and South Korea influenced and shaped its diplomacy?
      • What are the prospects for the Korean unification and peace on the Korean peninsula?
    • CWillis AEAK 422 S24
  • CEHC 310: Research Seminar in Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (Fall 2019)
    • In many undergraduate classes, students are consumers of research created by others. Students read historical case studies of disasters, examine regression results of probing the relationship between democracy and terrorism, peruse interviews with government officials from homeland security agencies, and scrutinize surveys of public opinion of privacy and security. What is often unclear is the research process lurking behind these final results. The mission of this course is to shed light on the research process in the areas of emergency preparedness, homeland security and cybersecurity. Over the course of the semester, students will conduct literature reviews, develop hypotheses, construct research designs, collect data, test hypotheses, and communicate findings. Students will start by creating a literature review on a topic of the student’s interest, identifying a falsifiable research question of interest to them in an area related to his or her concentration and subsequently investigating the question using the procedures and methods of social science.
    • CWillis CEHC 310

Pedagogical Writing

I have published several pedagogical pieces, many of which focus on the use of games and simulations in undergraduate education. I have also written about my experiences as a teaching assistant in political science (TA) and suggestions for current TAs and their supervisors.