The School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Penn State Erie, the Behrend College, has been my home for the last fifteen years. Together the administration, faculty, and students form a great community. I am grateful to all three constituencies for the work that they have helped me to accomplish, both as a teacher and a scholar. My work as a lecturer in the Department of English, teaching courses in writing, has been a warm abode for a political philosopher pursuing distant researches.
Two consecutive school directors have gone out of their way to help me pursue my scholarship despite a rigorous teaching load: Dr. Steven Hicks, who has been school director for the past five years; and Dr. Richard Aquila, who preceded him in that position. Both school directors lent me their support and confidence. Dick Aquila, who has just retired, will be missed. I wish him well in the next chapter of his life. I very much look forward to working with Eric Corty, the new school director.
Rob Speel, chair of the Political Science Department, has my thanks. Zach Irwin, who also recently retired, has been a great friend. Juan Ferandez-Jimenez and Gaudalupe Alvear-Madrid are among the most engaging and stimulating friends that I have ever had. John Champagne is a publishing wunderkind at Behrend. He inspires all of us with his passion. Mary Connerty, Terri Caruso, Sharon Gallagher, and Kathryn Wolfe have been my close associates for well over a decade now. The example they set in teaching and scholarship is as great as the lessons they provide to me about friendship.
Stephen Eric Bronner of Rutgers University has been a mentor to me since graduate school. Steve is the political philosopher whose kindness and loyalty have made the difference over the years. With Steve, it has always been about the ideas. Michael Thompson of William and Paterson University has given generously of his time and encouragement to me over the years.
My editor, Jana Hodges-Kluck, gives shrewd advice, and much encouragement. Her assistant Kari Waters has been a pleasure to work with. The professionals at Lexington Books have made my work as a scholar that much more pleasant. They have my sincere thanks. The anonymous reader for Lexington Books also has my thanks.
The library staff numbers among my closest colleagues. The director of the Lilley Library, Dr. Rick Hart, Russ Hall, and Jane Ingold have helped my research immensely. Patience Simmonds, who is retiring as I write this acknowledgment, has been a close friend for my entire time at Behrend. I will miss her.
I would like to thank a number of my students who have, in classes over the last five years, helped me to work out a number of ideas. I would like to thank them here: Andrew Donaldson, David First, Tom Grenke, Andrew Hall, Matt Lessnet, Nick Loukides, Chris Marchini, Kyle Peterson, Taylor Pokrant, Jess Scutella, Dan Scutella, Jim Sperrazzo, Artur Szastak, Adam Terragnoli, Anthony Trotchenkov, Todd Venesky, Sarah Veslany, Jeremy Zacharia, and Kasey Zaspel.
Pat and John have my warmest thanks as always.
Erie PA
June 2015