As editor of this volume, I would like to extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to the contributing authors, who have made this project possible with their dedication and hard work. I have a special relationship with many of the contributors—most of whom I have supervised in their dissertation work at Florida International University, while others I have worked with as editor of the journal Class, Race and Corporate Power, which provided the original source material for all chapters included here. The journal represents a collaboration over the past decade between me and the editorial board, specifically managing editor Nelson Bass, politics of culture editor Bryant Sculos, associate editor David Gibbs, and Ransford Edwards, who have each provided me with invaluable work for the journal, ideas for this edited volume, and provocative conversations about the politics informing our work. Editorial board member Raju Das deserves special thanks for making this relationship with Brill and Haymarket possible, and for his valuable contributions in helping us decide what themes and materials to include in our edited book series. I am also extremely grateful to the series editor at Brill, David Fasenfest, who helped guide us through the steps necessary to get this book to publication.
I have had the pleasure of decades-long conversations and collaborations with the following scholars, whose friendship and support have been a great source of inspiration over the years: Daniel Skidmore-Hess, David Gibbs, Jim Nolt, Bruce Cumings, Rick Tardanico, Paul Warren and Tom Ferguson. My work with graduate students at fiu has provided a steady stream of insights and suggestions, especially my recent conversations with Political Science PhD student Joshua Gold. I have also benefited from working with Tamanisha John, Mazaher Koruzhde, Sylvan Lee, Clarence Dodge, Michael Wartenbe, Melissa Boissiere, Rob Piper and Adam Hernandez, several of whom have chapters in this volume.
My colleagues in the Department of Politics and International Relations have been a steady source of support, encouragement, and inspiration, including Mohiaddin Mesbahi, Susanne Zwingel, Tom Breslin, Julie Zeng, John Clark, Kevin Evans, Joaquin Pedroso, Naisy Sarduy, and Clem Fatovic, among others, which includes support from our wonderful Department secretary, Maria Wilkinson-Diaz and Department Chair Barry Levitt. My close friendships with Kip Welborn, Chris Brashear, Mike Isaacs, Matt Lawrence, Sylvan Lee, George Gonos and Carlos Barrera have helped keep me passionate and engaged with the work that I do. Finally, my best friend and partner of over 30 years, Laura Leigh Rampey, is a constant source of love, support, and inspiration for me, which is a foundation for what I have been able to accomplish. My parents,
Last, but not least, I want to thank the activists and organizers who are putting their lives on the line daily to struggle for a more just world. This book is dedicated to you as well, and hopefully these contributions will assist in some small way to move our struggle forward.