Ahmed Ali Salem is a Professor and Acting PhD Program Director at the College of Security and Global Studies at the American University in the Emirates. He is also a Visiting Professor and Senior Research Associate in the Department of Political and International Studies at Rhodes University, South Africa. Previously, he worked as a Professor and former Acting Dean and Associate Dean in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and an Assistant Director and a Graduate Programs Coordinator in the Institute for Islamic World Studies, both at Zayed University, United Arab Emirates.
His scholarly work effectively integrates his academic training in political science, international relations, African Studies, and Middle Eastern Studies and is notable for its interdisciplinarity, particularly in the interplay between politics and history. He is the single author of numerous refereed publications (books, book chapters, journal articles, reviews, and translations) in both Arabic and English. He critiques mainstream and critical international relations theories, their applications in Africa and the Middle East, and highlights voices of Arab and African scholars who provide theoretical complements or alternatives. His research interests also include Muslim-Western relations, African and Middle Eastern Studies, and Islamic political thought.
For over 25 years, he proudly taught thousands of graduate and undergraduate students at Zayed University (UAE), Rhodes University (South Africa), and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA). He has often been among the teachers ranked highest by their students, and his students have consistently noted in their class evaluations that he has remarkable subject-matter knowledge. He has also served his profession and communities in several capacities: an expert trainer, volunteer instructor, and reviewer of grants, publications, positions, and events. He is frequently consulted by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, the UAE Ministry of Education, and Bahrain’s Education and Training Quality Authority.
He holds a PhD in Political Science, an MA in African Studies, both from the University of Illinois, USA, and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Cairo University, Egypt. He received several awards in recognition of his contributions to Zayed University, including the Award of Exemplary Performance and the highly prestigious Creative Employer Award.