Alex Thurston

Alex Thurston is a visiting assistant professor of political science and comparative religion at Miami University in Ohio. He is the author of two books, “Boko Haram: The History of an African Jihadist Movement” and “Salafism in Nigeria: Islam, Preaching, and Politics.” He has been a fellow with the Wilson Center and the American Council of Learned Societies, and an International Affairs fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds a doctorate in Religious Studies from Northwestern University and a master’s in Arab Studies from Georgetown. Follow him on Twitter @sahelblog.