Abdi Ismail Samatar

Abdi Ismail Samatar
عبدي إسماعيل سمتر
Born 1952
Gabiley, Somaliland
Occupation scholar, writer, professor
Nationality Somalian, American
Alma mater University of Wisconsin–La Crosse
Iowa State University
University of California, Berkeley
Subject geography, democracy, development
Notable awards Outstanding Community Service Award (2004)
Design Achievement Award (2000)
Collegiate Teaching Award (1989–90)
Spouse Cawo Mohamed Abdi
Relatives Ahmed Ismail Samatar

Abdi Ismail Samatar (Somali: Cabdi Cismaaciil Samatar, Arabic: عبدي إسماعيل ساماتار) (born 1950) is a Somali scholar, writer and professor.

Personal life

Samatar was born in 1950 in the northwestern Gabiley province of Somalia. He hails from the Gadabuursi subclan of the Dir. He is the brother of scholar and politician Ahmed Ismail Samatar.[1]

For his tertiary education, Samatar earned an A.B. from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse in 1979. He later obtained a MCRP in Urban/Regional Planning from the Iowa State University in 1981. In 1985, he completed a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.[2]

Samatar is Muslim. He is married to professor Cawo Mohamed Abdi.[3]

Career

Between the late 1980s and early 1990s, Samatar was a lecturer at the University of Iowa.[2] He later joined the University of Minnesota's faculty, serving as a professor of geography and chair of the institution's geography department.[4]

He has authored several books centered on democracy and development in the Horn of Africa and the developing world.[2] In 2000, his non-fiction work An African Miracle was a finalist for the year's Herskovits Prize.[5]

In Spring 2003, Samatar was the Chair of the Harmonization Committee of the Somali Charter: Somali Reconciliation – Independent Committee.[2]

In 2013–2014, he also served as the President of the African Studies Association. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest or contributor at various international media outlets, including Voice of America, PBS, Al Jazeera, the BBC, Radio France International, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, TV Channel 5 and Somali TV Minneapolis.[2]

Awards

Samatar has received various awards for his work, including:[2]

Professional memberships

Samatar's professional memberships include:[2]

Selected works

References

  1. "Maxaa ka Taqaanaa Xubnaha Lagu Sheegay Qaswadayaasha Siyaasadda Soomaaliya iyo Qabiilada ay kasoo jeedaan". Xariiradnews. August 21, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Abdi Ismail Samatar". University of Minnesota. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  3. Zamir, Javed. "Pervasive racial profiling of Muslims in the US". Crescent International. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  4. "Abdi Samatar : Geography : University of Minnesota." Department of Geography : University of Minnesota. University of Minnesota, September 4, 2009. Web. May 27, 2010. http://www.geog.umn.edu/people/profile.php?UID=samat001.
  5. Bildhaan: An International Journal of Somali Studies, Volumes 1–2. Macalester College, International Studies and Programming. 2001. p. iii.

External links

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