Sasha Abramsky

Sasha Abramsky is an award-winning journalist, author, and part-time lecturer at the University of California, Davis. He also serves as a Senior Fellow for Democracy at the New York City-based think tank Demos. Born in England in 1972, Abramsky studied politics, philosophy, and economics at Balliol College, Oxford, before transitioning to journalism at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

• Education:
  • B.A., Balliol College, Oxford (1993)
  • M.A., Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

Abramsky’s research and writing focus spans social justice, criminal justice reform, poverty studies, and public policy. His work often employs narrative journalism to explore systemic inequities, such as the impacts of felony disenfranchisement laws, the prison-industrial complex, and the lived experiences of America’s working poor.

His recent articles and books—like Jumping at Shadows and The American Way of Poverty—highlight trends in poverty, healthcare access, and political fearmongering. These works emphasize intersections between economic hardship, racial disparities, and policy failures.

Abramsky’s teaching at UC Davis complements his advocacy, while his think tank affiliations at Demos allow him to influence policy discussions. His personal life in Sacramento, travel across 50+ countries, and hobbies such as tennis and piano underscore his multifaceted engagement with global and local issues.