SSRC Staff

Thomas Asher

Program Director,
Academia in the Public Sphere, Africa and the Social Sciences

Bio

Thomas Asher is a program director at the Social Science Research Council. He directs a range of projects relating to international education and international affairs, including a fellowship program to strengthen African universities and support the next generation of African social science research on peace, security, and development issues. He also directs a grants program that promotes public engagement in order to improve public understanding of Islamic traditions and societies. Tom additionally has conducted research and written on participatory politics, local and global governance, and the effects of economic liberalization on political life in South Asia. He holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Chicago.

Programs and Projects

Our Shared Past
Academia in the Public Sphere Grants Program
(Program Director)
Initiative on Think Tanks
(Program Director)
Minerva Controversy
(Program Director)
Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa
Politics of Expertise Program