JOAN SMITH is Professor of Sociology and a Research Associate at the Fernand Braudel Center at the State University of New York at Binghamton.

JANE COLLINS is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the State University of New York at Binghamton.

TERENCE K. HOPKINS is Director of Doctoral Studies in Sociology at the State University of New York at Binghamton and Board Member of the university's Fernand Braudel Center.

AKBAR MUHAMMAD is Associate Professor of African and Islamic History at the State University of New York at Binghamton.