Steffen W. Schmidt is a professor of political science at Iowa State University. He grew up in Colombia, South America, and has studied in Colombia, Switzerland and France. He earned a B.A. from Rollins College and a Ph.D. in public law and government from Columbia University, New York. The author of 14 books and over 130 articles in scholarly journals, Dr. Schmidt is the recipient of numerous prestigious honors, including the Amoco Award for Lifetime Career Achievement in Teaching and Teacher of the Year. A member of the American Political Science Association's section on Computers and Multimedia, he is a pioneer in the use of web-based and real-time video courses. His extensive commentary on U.S. politics in national and international media earned him the nickname "Dr. Politics." A weekly blogger for Gannett, Dr. Schmidt comments on CNN en Espaņol and Univision, as well as WNYC, New York. He is on Facebook (Steffen W Schmidt) and Twitter (DrPolitics).
Barbara A. Bardes is professor emerita of political science at the University of Cincinnati. She received her B.A. and M.A. from Kent State University and her Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati. She served as a faculty member in political science and dean of Mundelein College at Loyola University of Chicago. In 1993, she was appointed dean of Raymond Walters College of the University of Cincinnati, where she served until 2003. She returned to the political science department, where she held the position of graduate director before retiring. Bardes has written articles on public and foreign policy, and women and politics. She also has co-authored Declarations of Independence: Women and Political Power In 19th Century American Novels; Thinking About Public Policy; Public Opinion: Measuring The American Mind; and American Government And Politics Today.
William Earl Maxwell is a professor emeritus at San Antonio College, where he has taught courses in U.S. and Texas government since 1971. Throughout his career Maxwell has focused on innovative teaching techniques and improving the teaching and learning environments for students. As part of that effort, in 1975 Maxwell co-authored UNDERSTANDING TEXAS POLITICS, his first text on Texas government. He also co-authored such texts as POLITICS IN TEXAS and THE CHALLENGE OF TEXAS POLITICS: TEXT WITH READINGS. He completed his undergraduate and graduate work at Sam Houston State University.
Ernest Crain did his graduate work at the University of Texas at Austin, spent 35 years teaching Texas government at San Antonio College and now lives in Montgomery County, Texas. He has co-authored UNDERSTANDING TEXAS POLITICS, POLITICS IN TEXAS: AN INTRODUCTION TO TEXAS POLITICS, THE CHALLENGE OF TEXAS POLITICS: TEXT WITH READINGS and AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS TODAY: TEXAS EDITION. His special areas of interest include party competition, comparative state politics and Texas public policy.
