Benjamin Curtis is a professor of politics and history at Seattle University, where he has received numerous commendations for excellence in teaching. He is the founding director of the University's Poverty Education Center, which is dedicated to promoting more effective teaching about poverty at all levels of instruction. He writes about both international politics and European history, and his primary area of geographical expertise is Central and Eastern Europe. He spends part of every year in that region guiding tours for Rick Steves' Europe, one of America's leading travel companies. Ben was educated at Middlebury College, the London School of Economics, and the University of Chicago.