It’s not clear how I ended up at UCSD.

My path to academia began many years ago, when, as a college undergraduate, I yearned to make the then-customary “grand tour” of Europe (St. Mark’s Square, the Left Bank, beer halls of Munich, etc.). The problem was a lack of funds. So I took a less expensive trip—a bus ride from New York to Mexico City. Talk about plunging into a void—I knew no Spanish, no Mexican history, no Latin American politics, nothing. I was captivated by the country and its people, of course, and my life has never been the same.

Unfulfilled wanderlust shaped the course of my graduate career. Still determined to travel—and make it to Europe!—I decided to write a dissertation about Argentina, as far away as you could get within the Western Hemisphere. A fellowship allowed me to live a full year in Buenos Aires, a hugely cosmopolitan city. Subsequent preparation of a book manuscript absolutely required—you guessed it—extensive research in London, and on this flimsy basis I finally made it to Europe. Exciting!

Over the years I have continued my travels and quests. It is my conviction that, in this time of speedy and unpredictable change, it is essential—for policymakers, political scientists, and ordinary citizens—to try to understand the variety of normative and cultural frameworks that exist around the world. This is best accomplished, or attempted, by meeting the people, reading the books, watching the films, etc. It is a challenging and often daunting task. It is also fun.

Family members share this belief. I have been blessed with two generations of children: two sons, now in their thirties, both embarked on productive (non-academic!) professional careers; and two wondrous daughters, now six and eight. (The photo shows me and the older girl, Sasha, when she was three months old in 1995.) My spouse, Jennifer Troutner, Ph.D., is a specialist on China and is co-editor of the book on women in Asia and Latin America [see entry under “Research”].

It’s been a circuitous trip, this sojourn from an East Coast college to UCSD. To borrow a phrase from Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now.