Over the years, faculty members from many parts of the University have contributed their energy and talents to the Program. Two currently active University faculty have served as Directors of the Program, Allan Megill (history) and Michael Smith (politics). Faculty who have advised PST senior theses include Ellen Contini-Morava, Richard Handler, and Ira Bashkow of anthropology; Herbert Braun, Claudrena Harold, Erin Lambert, Joseph Miller, and Robert Stolz of history; William Little, Siva Vaidhyanathan, and Bruce Williams of Media Studies; Mohammed Sawaie of Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures; John Arras and Talbot Brewer of philosophy; Lawrie Balfour, Colin Bird, Robert Fatton, Herman Schwartz, and Denise Walsh of politics; James Childress, Charles Mathewes, Charles Marsh, Margaret Mohrmann, and John Portmann of religious studies; Krishan Kumar, Katya Makarova, and Milton Vickerman of sociology; Joshua Yates of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture; Farzaneh Milani of women and gender studies; Rita Felski, Michael Levenson, Jahan Ramazani, and Carolyn Rody of English; and Brendan Richardson of the McIntire School of Commerce. The program’s high reputation often leads other faculty from throughout the University to agree to act as thesis advisors for PST students.