Dr Valentine J. Belfiglio, PhD, is a Cornaro Professor Emeritus of Government at Texas Woman’s University. His specialties are international relations and American national defense policy. He has authored six books and over 100 articles, and has received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Foreign Affairs Association, three grants from the Texas Committee for the Humanities, and a sabbatical leave from Texas Woman’s University in 2001 for research in Italy. In 1982, the President of Italy conferred upon him the title of Cavaliere dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (Knighthood), for his extensive work in promoting Italian culture in the United States. In 1990, the East Texas Historical Association bestowed upon him the C.K. Chamberlain Award for excellence in historical research and writing. He received his MA and PhD from the University of Oklahoma.

Sylvia I. Sullivant, MA, ABD, is a PhD student of Political Science at Louisiana State University. Her specialties are American politics and comparative politics. Her research focuses on race relations in politics among Blacks and Latinos in the United States. She has presented papers at the Southern Political Science Association annual conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and New Orleans, Louisiana, and received a BS and MA in Government from Texas Woman’s University.