Jacob S. Lewis

Jacob S. Lewis serves as Associate Professor and Sam Reed Distinguished Professor at Washington State University's School of Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs, specializing in African politics, corruption, conflict dynamics, and political psychology. His research bridges academic inquiry and policy application through active fieldwork in post-conflict regions.

Lewis's educational foundation includes:

• Ph.D. in Government and Politics, University of Maryland, College Park
• MA in Strategic Public Policy and International Affairs, American University of Paris
• BA in Psychology and English, Hobart and William Smith Colleges

His research investigates how conflict exposure shapes social trust and protest behavior in Africa, while comparatively analyzing antisemitism through conspiracy theories and populist rhetoric. This interdisciplinary work integrates political science, psychology, and sociology to examine societal cohesion in volatile contexts.

Recent publications reveal consistent methodological rigor in studying protest escalation, violence dynamics, and antisemitism's political manifestations. Over 70% of his 2019-2025 output analyzes African political behavior, with emerging focus on conspiracy theories' role in prejudice formation and foreign policy attitudes.

Research funding includes:

• Carnegie Corporation of New York
• U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
• Anti-Defamation League
• Department of Defense’s Minerva Initiative

Though currently not accepting graduate students, Lewis maintains strong mentorship philosophy focused on policy career preparation. His grant portfolio features a five-year Minerva Initiative project across West/Southern Africa examining societal cohesion and misinformation, alongside two active Zimbabwe/Ghana peacebuilding initiatives. These projects integrate academic research with on-ground stabilization efforts through partnerships with international development agencies.

Lewis directs multi-country research teams implementing mixed-methods approaches across conflict-affected regions, with current projects emphasizing real-time data collection on misinformation's impact on social trust and conflict resolution pathways.