FOREWORD

In order to provide an international structure for the humane and scientific study of Third World peoples, problems and issues, with the ultimate goal of improving quality of life, Dr. Harold Isaacs, Professor of History at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, GA, founded the Association of Third World Studies (ATWS), Inc., in 1983.

ATWS is now the largest professional Third World Studies organization in the world with a global membership and chapters in South Asia and Africa. Membership includes academics, practitioners in the area of Third World development, employees of government agencies, and diplomats.

ATWS began its history as an institution in 1991 when elected officials assumed responsibility for the management of the organization. Between 1992 and 2003, Georgia Southern University served as the Executive Headquarters, and under the leadership of Dr.Zia H. Hashmi and Paul A Rodell, ATWS Executive Directors, contributed significantly to the growth and development of ATWS as a professional organization. The Executive Headquarters are now at Mississippi State University and the elected Executive Director is Dr. Shu-hui Wu, a member of the Department of History at MSU.

In 1995 the United Nations recognized the success of ATWS by granting it UN "consultative status," thus enabling the Association to increase its direct impact on Third World development.

ATWS appreciates greatly the financial support that Georgia Southwestern State University, under the leadership of President Michael L. Hanes, provides for the publication costs of JTWS.

ATWS' first annual meeting was held on October 21, 1983 at Georgia Southwestern College. The theme of this meeting was "Activities of U.S. Citizens in the Third World," a subject explored in the 35 pages of conference proceedings contained in the first issue of ATWS' scholarly periodical, Journal of Third World Studies (JTWS), published in the Fall of 1984. From this modest beginning JTWS has become a bi-annual multidisciplinary publication averaging, per issue, over 300 pages of articles, book reviews, book review essays, and conference and exhibit review essays, refereed and approved for publication by the JTWS Board of Editors which is comprised of scholars who are nationally and internationally-recognized experts in their respective academic fields.

Membership in ATWS is open to any person interested in Third World Studies. Yearly membership dues are $45.00, which includes an annual subscription to JTWS. The yearly subscription rate is $45.00, and single copies are $23.00. Membership and subscription forms, as well as copies of JTWS, may be obtained by writing to the Association of Third World Studies, Inc., P.O. Box 1232, Americus, GA 31709-1232. Individuals interested in submitting articles and book reviews to be considered, or refereed, for publication by the JTWS Board of Editors, should write to the Editor, Dr. Harold Isaacs, at the above address.

ATWS also publishes ATWS Conference Proceedings. For additional information, please contact the Editor: Dr. Harold Isaacs, P.O. Box 1232, Americus, Georgia 31709-1232.

Additionally, ATWS has an established website on the internet. The website was created in 1995 by Dr. M. Bazlul Karim, and is currently maintained by Svetlana Peltsverger. The address for the ATWS website is:

http://ltc.gsw.edu/atws

The Twenty-First Annual Meeting of ATWS, which was held in Shreveport, Louisiana, November 6-8, 2003, focused on the theme, "Advancing New Dimensions in Third World Studies in the 21st Century." The conference was hosted by Louisiana State University in Shreveport and College of Arts and Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington. The following ATWS members are to be commended for the superlative conference they conceived, organized and implemented: Dr. A.B. Assensoh, (Program Chair and President, ATWS, 2003-2004), Professor of History, University of Indiana, Bloomington; Dr. William D. Pederson (Local Arrangements), Professor of History, Louisiana State University, Shreveport; Dr. William P. Head (President, ATWS, 2002-2003), Chief, Office of History, Warner Robins Air Logistic Center, Robins AFB, Georgia; Dr. Shu-hui Wu (Executive Director, ATWS), Department of History, Mississippi State University; and Dr. Gary Kline (Treasurer, ATWS), Department of History and Political Science, Georgia Southwestern State University.

The contents of this issue include both papers presented at the annual meeting as well as other manuscripts and book reviews and book review essays approved for publication by the JTWS Board of Editors.

On behalf of all ATWS members and JTWS subscribers worldwide, the Editor would like to express his gratitude to the Associate Editors of the Journal. Without the dedication and superlative scholarship skills and abilities of Dorothea A.L. Martin (Asia), John Mukum Mbaku (Africa), Rolin Mainuddin (Middle East), and J. Patrice McSherry (Latin America, JTWS would not possess its present scope and quality.

Sincere appreciation and thanks are also extended to Kathryn L. Zak, outstanding JTWS editorial assistant, for her exemplary skills in word processing and production work which continue to improve the appearance of this publication. Mrs. Rubye L. Goodlett of Georgia Printing Service, Inc., also deserves thanks and praise for her excellent production work.