Professor Kent Kille edits new book on teaching about international organizations

Kent J. Kille, professor of political science at The College of Wooster, edited a new book called Teaching International Organizations. Published by Edward Elgar, this work provides an overview designed to benefit a wide range of instructors offering courses on international organizations and those seeking insights for teaching about international organizations as a component in other international relations courses.

“This book comes from a long-time engagement with the scholarship of teaching and learning in international relations,” Kille said. Teaching International Organizations resulted from several years of research and collaboration with a wide range of professors engaged in teaching about international organizations, all of whom bring their own experiences and expertise in the field 

The book, separated into two sections, offers both conceptual explanations of what to teach when covering international organizations, and the best practices for teaching. Together with a group of expert contributors, Kille addresses key topics, debates, frameworks, perspectives, and a range of instructional approaches to incorporate when teaching in the field. The first section offers topics such as the United Nations, World Bank, regional organizations, and non-governmental organizations, as well as broader discussion of theoretical and gendered perspectives and the distinction between teaching international organizations and global governance. The second section of the book details ideas on how to approach teaching such material, covering areas such as active teaching and learning, experiential learning, inclusivity, and assessment as well as practical information for employing techniques like simulations, Model United Nations, and summer programs.  

Kille, who also coaches Wooster’s award-winning Model UN team, has firsthand knowledge of the importance of teaching students about international organizations through experiential learning opportunities. “The chapter on Model UN emphasizes the great educational value of participating in Model UN, and I see how much the students on our team take away from the experience,” Kille said. “Teaching International Organizations is significant for bringing best practices on teaching to a wide range of instructors, and I hope to use these practices to further improve my teaching of international organizations to my students at Wooster.” 

Posted in Faculty, News on February 10, 2025.