Charmaine Willis, PhD '23

Charmaine Willis , PhD '23

Name: Charmaine N. Willis  
Hometown: Killington, VT  
Program: Political Science PhD
Awards: Anna Boochever deBeer Scholarship, Rockefeller College of Public Administration and Policy (2022-2023); Field Research Fellowship, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) (2021-2022); Distinguished Service Professor David F. Andersen Scholarship, Rockefeller College of Public Administration and Policy (2020-2021); Field Research Fellowship, Korea Foundation (2020-2021); Pre-Dissertation Fellowship, Southeast Asia Research Group (SEAREG) (2018-2019); Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant in Political Science (2018); Outstanding Graduate Student Service to Rockefeller College (2017).  

   

Tell us about your research interests/dissertation and why you are passionate about this topic?  

I am generally interested in why and how individuals and groups pursue political goals outside the realm of institutionalized politics. My dissertation focuses on the politics around the U.S. military abroad and explores why protests against U.S. bases occur in some contexts and not others in the host nations of Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. In some ways, I came upon this topic about 10 years ago when I was in an MA program at American University. On two separate trips, I went to Okinawa, Japan and Iwakuni, Japan and saw the U.S. bases there. I was struck by the different reactions that people seemed to have towards the bases. While people in Okinawa protested many of the US bases there (including staging years and even decades-long sit-in protests), the U.S. bases in Iwakuni seemed to blend in more to the community. There were no protesters stationed outside the base. This observation propelled me to delve deeper into the sources of such variation, not only in Japan but in other countries as well.  

  

What do you want the public to know about your research? Why is your topic important?  

First, I think that few Americans know the scope of the U.S. military’s global presence, especially outside of active conflict zones; I myself did not know before I started this research. A recent estimate is that there are about 750 U.S. military installations abroad (in a variety of forms) in as many as 80 countries. Second, over the course of my dissertation research, I have learned how complicated the relationship between host community residents and their local military presence is. While there are some people who absolutely love the U.S. military and some who want the U.S. military out of their country entirely, most people seem to be somewhere in the middle where they appreciate the benefits but are concerned about negative aspects like noise pollution, crime and accidents, and environmental degradation. To that extent, it seems like the communities where the civilian-military relationship is most harmonious in my study are places where the US military and the local government collectively highlight how the U.S. military is a “good neighbor” to the community through initiatives such as English language classes and hosting on-base festivals.  

   

What was one of the most meaningful experiences you had during your time in the PhD program?   

There were so meaningful experiences but one of the earliest ones was when I started teaching as a Teaching Assistant (TA). As an introvert, I was initially anxious about teaching on my own — during discussion sessions — for the first time. But after a few sessions and encouragement from my supervisor at the time, Anne Hildreth, I began to feel more confident and grew to love teaching. Feeling like I was doing what I was meant to do — teaching political science to college students — was and is a great feeling.  

   

What kind of opportunities are you considering for post-graduate employment?   

Generally, I am looking for academic positions. I am excited to be joining the political science department at Skidmore College in Fall 2023 as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science. It is great to be staying in the Capital Region for at least the next few years!  

   

What advice do you have for students who are considering or pursuing a PhD at Rockefeller?   

I have several pieces of advice. One is that any degree, whether a PhD, a BA, or an MA, is a means to an end, not an end itself. Think about how gaining a PhD will help with your career goals. While I had thought about pursuing a PhD for a long time, it was realizing that I needed a PhD to teach political science at the college level that pushed me in that direction. It was also something that encouraged me to continue during challenging times. My second piece of advice is to network as much as possible. This includes people in your cohort, in your program, in the university at large, and in other universities. I have done this in a variety of ways, including creating a professional social media presence (Twitter) and serving on committees (both at the university and in professional associations). Through networking, I have been offered opportunities that I probably would not otherwise have, fostered professional partnerships, and, at a minimum, made some good friends in my field.