Jan Nederveen Pieterse is Mellichamp professor of Global Studies and Sociology at University of California Santa Barbara and specializes in globalization, development studies and cultural studies. Recent books are Is there hope for Uncle Sam? Beyond the American bubble (2008), Ethnicities and Global Multiculture: Pants for an Octopus (2007), Globalization or Empire? (2004), Globalization and Culture: Global Mlange (second edition 2009) and Development Theory: Deconstructions/ Reconstructions (second edition 2009).

He has been visiting professor in Argentina, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, and Thailand. He is co-editor of e-Journal of Global Studies and Clarity Press and associate editor of Ethnicities, European Journal of Social Theory, Futures, Globalizations, Third Text, Encounters and Journal of Social Affairs.