Teaching

I have taught several undergraduate courses as the instructor of record at both the University of Maine and the University at Albany. Additionally, I served as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for Introduction to American Politics and Introduction to Comparative Politics and International Relations from Spring 2016 to Fall 2018 at the University at Albany. I served as the Lead Teaching Assistant for two semesters in Introduction to Comparative Politics and International Relations and was awarded the political science department’s Outstanding Teaching Assistant award in 2018. 

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

University of Maine

  • 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.
    • Student feedback: “I absolutely loved this class! It helped me figure out what I think I want to do in the future, so I am very thankful for that. Everything was interesting, and the video lectures were very easy to follow. Professor Willis was enthusiastic and since she showed such interest, it made it more appealing to learn about.”
    • 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.
    • Student feedback: “The readings were really well chosen – diverse, pertinent, and manageable in length. I also really appreciated the frequent and open communication from the professor, who gave weekly updates on the work for the week and deadlines as well as prompt replies to our questions.”
    • CWillis POS 349- Nation-Building v8
  • 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.
    • Student feedback: “We had really great topics to talk about in zoom classes. The [simulation] was really fun to participate in and it gave [us] an awesome idea of [how] treaties are negotiated and formed. This course is a 10/10.”
    • CWillis POS 241 F20

University at Albany (SUNY)

  • 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: North Korea—History, Culture, Politics (Spring 2021)
    • 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?
    • Student feedback: “This course was really fun! I loved it!“
    • CWillis AEAK 389 S21 v8
  • RPOS 102: Introduction to Comparative Politics and International Relations (Summer 2019, Winter 2020, Summer 2020, Winter 2021, Summer 2021)
    • 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. 
    • Student feedback: “I appreciate how this course involved diverse reading assignments, despite not having an assigned textbook. This course is perfect for students to acquire a general understanding of different theories, as well as how political decisions are made across the globe. I found the course to be enriching and the instructor to be passionate and interactive.”
    • CWillis RPOS 102
  • 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.