Jean Pierre Olivier De Sardan

Born in 1941, and with both French and Nigerien nationality, Jean Pierre Olivier De Sardan is Director of Research Emeritus at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, and Director of Studies (Professor) at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (France). He is an associate professor at the Abdou Moumouni University in Niamey (Niger). He is one of the founders of LASDEL (Laboratory of Studies and Research on Social Dynamics and Local Development) in Niamey, an internationally recognized social science laboratory, to which he has directed many research programs and to which he is still attached. He is a graduate of the Institute of Political Studies in Paris, has a degree in sociology from the Sorbonne, a post-graduate degree in anthropology, and a doctorate in anthropology. He is also Knight of the Academic Palms of the Republic of Niger, Knight of the Legion of Honor of the French Republic, Doctor honoris causa of the University of Liege, holder of the Ester Boserup Prize for Research on Development 2014 (University of Copenhagen). He has directed some 40 doctoral theses.
He has published numerous works on various dimensions of West African societies: on social structures and history in Niger, development, health, corruption, local authorities and electoral processes. Two of his books have become reference works: Anthropology and Development and The Rigor of Qualitative. They are often used in French-speaking universities (France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland and West Africa) and are both among the top ten best-selling books of their respective publishers.