Cynthia Enloe, author of the collection of essays, *Bananas, Beaches, and Bases* makes sense of globalization and international politics by taking a look into the daily realities in a range of women's lives. She proposes a distinctively feminist curiosity that begins with taking women seriously, especially during this era of unprecedented American influence. This means listening carefully, digging deep, challenging assumptions, and welcoming surprises.
Born in 1938, Cynthia Enloe spent her early life on Long Island in a New York suburb. After completing her undergraduate education at Connecticut College in 1960, she went on to earn an M.A. in 1963 and a Ph.D. in 1967 in political science at the University of California, Berkeley. Enloe currently serves as a professor in the Department of International Development, Community, and Environment at Clark University, Worcester. She is also the Director of Clark University's Women Studies program and a frequent lecturer. In addition to serving as an editor for such scholarly journals as *Signs* and the *International Feminist Journal of Politics*, Cynthia Enloe has written nine books, mostly published by the University of California Press. Much of Enloes research centers on womens place in national and international politics. Her books cover a wide range of issues encompassing gender-based discrimination as well as racial, ethnic and national identities.