Dr. Alexander Thomson

My primary research interest is the diplomatic history of US relations with apartheid South Africa. I have published a number of books and journal aricles on this topic, and I am currently working on a project integrating previously overlooked South African archive materials into the literature addressing this issue.

Additionally, i also work with grassroots community groups in Zimbabwe who are seeking to gain a voice in this country's transitional justice programme. In partnership with a local NGO, this project seeks to assess and facilitate understanding of transitional justice processes at the grassroots level, with a view to encouraging participation, and broadening the relevance of transitional justice initiatives in Zimbabwe.

• Thomson, A. (2009) U.S. Foreign Policy Towards Apartheid South Africa, 1948-1994: Conflict of Interests. New York: Palgrave-Macmillan. 
• Thomson, A. (2012) 'A More Effective Constructive Engagement: US Policy Towards South Africa after the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986'. Politikon 39 (3), 1-19. 
• Thomson, A. (2010) 'The diplomacy of impasse: The Carter administration and apartheid South Africa'. Diplomacy and Statecraft 21 (1), 107-124. 
• Thomson, A. (2005) 'Contending with Apartheid: United States Foreign Policy Towards South Africa, 1948-1994'. Studia Diplomatica 58 (4), 51-74. 
• Thomson, A. (2005) 'Balancing interests beyond the water's edge'. Politikon 32 (1), 123-137. 
• Thomson, A. (1995) 'Reagan's South Africa policy revisited'. Journal of Modern African Studies33 (1), 83-101. 
• Thomson, A. (1996) Incomplete Engagement: US Foreign Policy Towards the Republic of South Africa. Aldershot: Avebury. 
• Thomson, A., and Jazdowska, N. (2012) 'Bringing in the grassroots: transitional justice in Zimbabwe'. Conflict, Security and Development 12 (1), 75-102. 
• Hulme, M., Thomson, A., Hulme, R., and Doughty, G. (2013) 'Trading Places: The Role of Agents in International Student Recruitment from Africa'. Journal of Further and Higher Education 37 (4). 
• Thomson, A. (2010) An Introduction to African Politics. 3rd edn. London: Routledge.

• Re-assessing US Cold War relations with apartheid South Africa: Accessing and analysing previously overlooked South African archives and integrating the resulting ‘view from Pretoria’ into the existing  (US archive dominated) history of this issue. 

• Grassroots community participation in Zimbabwean transitional justice: Working with grassroots community groups in Zimbabwe to facilitate their participation in this country’s transitional justice initiatives.