Alexander Thurston

Alexander Thurston is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Cincinnati, specializing in Islam and politics in northwest Africa. His fieldwork-based research analyzes jihadist movements and religious authority in the Sahel region.

Education: Ph.D. in Religious Studies (Northwestern University, 2013), M.A. in Arab Studies (Georgetown University).

Thurston's publications provide historical and theological context for groups like Boko Haram and Al-Qaeda affiliates. His trilogy of books examines Salafi preaching networks in Nigeria, the evolution of Boko Haram, and jihadist group dynamics across Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. Research emphasizes local political contexts, ideological development, and counterinsurgency challenges.

He has conducted extensive fieldwork in Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso, documenting how religious movements intersect with governance crises. Current projects investigate the restructuring of religious authority in conflict zones.