Andrew Boyd began his acquaintance with international affairs in 1946, when as a British liaison officer he attended the very first sessions of the United Nations (his other books include three about the UN). He travelled widely and reported on international affairs while writing on world affairs for The Economist for thirty-seven years.

Joshua Comenetz has used cartographic methods to visualize spatial data and explain the causes and effects of international conflicts, demographic change and natural disasters since 1990. As a consultant he has solved problems in areas ranging from political redistricting to ethnic and religious mapping, and he has taught international relations and geography at university level.