Bio
I am a human rights educator and researcher. In both my teaching and research, my approach is truly global, and stretches across disciplines and historical eras. I hold a doctorate in political science, and in my doctoral degree I specialized in international relations, comparative politics, and human rights and humanitarian affairs. My role here reflects this global education—I serve as Assistant Professor of Practice in both the Global Studies program here at the School of Global Integrative Studies and in the Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs.
Research and Current Projects
I have three main strands of research. The unifying thread between them is the ways people respond to human rights violations, and the ripple effects of those responses. The first strand of research builds upon my dissertation, which is about how international criminal accountability mechanisms affect the ways that civil wars end and don't end. The second strand of research is about how people who are targeted in genocide mobilize to stop the perpetrators of the genocide. The third strand of research is centered right here in Lincoln, and investigates how refugees integrate into communities in the Midwest, and the ways that Midwestern communities can best support them.
Beyond my research, I do extensive outreach work that connects to my role as an educator. I spearheaded the creation of the Human Rights Changemaker Internship Program, and continue to run this program during the fall, spring, and summer terms. I also organize many events, including Violence and Extremism Prevention Week, to connect students with human rights changemakers, researchers, and policymakers around the globe.
Courses
- GLST/HRHA 101: Human Rights in a Global Context
- GLST 201: Introduction to Global Studies
- GLST/HRHA 350: Refugees, Displaced People, and (Im)migrants in a Globalized World
- HRHA 495: Experiential Learning in Human Rights
- GLST 484: Senior Seminar in Global Studies
- GLST 491: Human Rights Conflicts, Challenges, and Community Changemaking
Publications
Reilly, Julia. "How rebel groups form in genocide: The Warsaw Ghetto fighters." Violence: An International Journal (2021): 26330024211046620.