Dr. Abdi Kusow, is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Iowa State in Ames, IA, USA. Professor Kusow’s research interests include globalization and transnational migration, the contemporary African diaspora, social transformation and social change in Africa, African immigrants in North America, racial formation, and methodology.

His most recent work appeared in flagship journals like Symbolic Interaction, Ethnic and Racial Studies, Journal of Migration and Ethnic Studies, and in the The New Americans: A Handbook to Immigration Since 1965, edited by Mary Waters and Reed Ueda, Harvard University Press. One of his most recent articles, “Contesting Stigma: On Goffman’s Assumptions of Normative Order,” Symbolic Interaction, 2004 appeared in the top 20 most read articles in Symbolic Interaction from 2005 to 2009. He is also active in local and global social communities.

He is Vice Chair of the Somali Studies International Association (SSIA) and served as Vice Chair of the Organizing Committee of the 10th Triennial Somali Studies Conference held at the Ohio State University in 2007. He participated in several international policy forums on Africa sponsored by the United Nations Scientific, Educational, and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Development Program, Italian NGOs, and Aalborg University in Denmark.

Abdullahi Cisman is a trained mediator/negotiator with extensive leadership experience in profit, non for profit sectors and good governance. He works for the Government of Ontario, Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and enjoys a successful career in the Criminal Justice System field. He is the past President of Somali Community of Windsor, a current board of director at Windsor Essex Children Aid Society and various other non for profit organizations in Windsor.

Through his community leadership and advocacy, Cisman has been awarded with numerous awards and recognitions for his community service and volunteerism both at home and abroad including: the 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his outstanding contribution to Canada and the 2013 Moving Forward Award for a significant contribution to community. He is also a recipient of Exemplary Outreach Award for his extensive Community Outreach.

Cisman has two undergraduate degrees and M.A in International Relations and Conflict Resolution as well as Advance Certificate in Alternate Dispute Resolution from University of Windsor Law School. He is the founder of Somali Initiative for Peace and Conflict Resolution – an organization that committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Somalia. Cisman is very skilled and passionate on issues related to peace and social justice, crime prevention and community safety. Cisman is proudly married, works and lives in Windsor Ontario with his wife Farhia Ahmed and their five children.