Dr Osman Alhassan is currently a post-retired Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of African Studies (IAS), University of Ghana, Legon. His research interests span from natural resources, environment, natural hazard events, disasters and public health in Ghana and Africa, natural resources and conflicts, and socio-cultural dimensions of migration and identities. Dr. Alhassan teaches courses in research methodology, environment, and natural resources especially water resources at the graduate level. He has published widely in his research areas as well as supervised many graduate students specializing within his research interests. Dr. Alhassan has served on many committees and boards at departmental and university-wide levels. He was research coordinator for the section on Societies and Cultures for many years and member of the management board of the IAS. He has also served on the Faculty of Social Studies, and the Academic Board of the University of Ghana. He is currently academic assessor for the University for Development Studies, Wa Campus; Tamale Polytechnic, Tamale; and Stellenbosch University, Cape Town. Since 2011, he has been a member of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission’s (GTEC) curriculum accreditation team on climate change and disaster risk reduction/management He currently researches into resource management regimes in Africa with particular reference to “herder-farmer” conflicts over dwindling natural resources in Ghana and West Africa. This is an ongoing research collaboration involving the IAS, The Kofi Annan International Centre for Peacekeeping and Training (KAIPT), and the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), Copenhagen.
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Institution |
Date |
Certificate Obtained |
|
University of Ghana, Ghana |
Oct. 1996 – Oct. 2001 |
PhD. Geography (Natural Resources and Environment) |
|
University of Bergen, Norway |
Aug. 1990 – Mar. 1993 |
M. Phil. Geography (Resources and Environmental) |
|
University of Bergen, Norway |
Aug. 1988 – May 1990 |
B.A Environmental Studies Certificate in Norwegian Language Proficiency |
|
University of Ghana, Ghana |
Oct. 1981 – June 1985 |
B.A. (Hons) Geography with Sociology |
|
Business and Ghana Secondary Schools, Ghana |
Sep. 1974 – May 1981 |
West Africa General Certificate of Education (O & A Levels) |
The following research areas have engaged my attention the last two to five years.
- natural hazard events, disasters and public health, and integrated environmental health and disaster reduction in Ghana
- natural disasters, human crisis and humanitarian assistance in Africa
- transnational migration and migrants’ identities
- urbanization, climate change and resilience outcomes in vulnerable communities
- livelihoods and human vulnerability in Africa
- community natural resource management regimes with focus on group hunting and group fishing in Northern Ghana.
- Alhassan, O. & Richard Asante (2022) “Operations Vanguard and Cow Leg: Addressing Conflicts over Resource use in Ghana”. Contemporary Journal of African Studies. Vol. 2, No. 2, Pp. 130-142.[DOA1]
- Alhassan, Osman (2009) ‘Customary Land Documentation in the Wasa Amenfi District, Western Ghana.’ Ghana Journal of Geography, Vol. 1, pp. 95 - 114.
- Alhassan, Osman (2006) “Land Use and Environment in Early Accra” Research Review, Supplement 17. Institute of African Studies, Legon. Pp. 21-35.
- Alhassan, Osman (1999) “Urbanisation and Woodfuel Management Practices in the New Juaben District in Ghana”. Bulletin of the Ghana Geographical Association, No. 21, July 1999, pp. 39-48.
Book Chapters
- Teye, K. J., Alhassan O., & Mary Setrana (2017) “Evolution and Nature of Diaspora Engagement Policies in Ghana”. In Jack Mangala (ed.), Africa and its Global Diaspora. Palgrave Macmillan, Switzerland, pp. 143-173.
- Ersing, R., Alhassan, O. Ayivor J.S., and Caruson, K. (2015). “Enhancing Hazard Resilience among Impoverished Urban Communities in Ghana (2014) The Role of Women as Catalysts for Change”. In Gary Sands (ed), Disasters in Developing Countries: Methods, Contexts and Relevance.
- Caruson, K., Alhassan, O. Ayivor, J.S. and Ersing, R. (2014). “Disaster and Development in Ghana: Improving Disaster Resiliency at the Local Level”. In Naim Kapucu and Kuotsai Tom Liou (eds), Disasters & Development: Examining Global Issues and Cases. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland. XIX Pp 273-288.
- Alhassan, Osman. (2013) “Environment and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa”. In Takyiwaa Manuh and Esi-Sutherland-Addy (eds) Africa in Contemporary Perspective; An Undergraduate Textbook. Sub-Saharan Publishers, Accra, pp. 134-154.
- Alhassan, Osman (2010) “Building Institutional Cooperation between the Diaspora and Homeland Governments: The Case of Ghana”. In Awil Mohamoud (ed) Building Institutional Cooperation between the Diaspora and Homeland Governments: The Cases of Ghana, Nigeria, Germany, USA and the UK. African Diaspora Policy Centre, The Hague, pp. 41 – 82.
- Songsore, J., J.S. Nabila, S. Avle, E.K. Bosque-Hamilton, Osman Alhassan and P. Amponsah (2008) “Integrated Disaster Risk and Environmental Health Monitoring: Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana”. In Mark Pelling and Ben Wisner (eds), Disaster Risk Reduction: Cases From Urban Africa. Earthscan, London; pp. 65 – 85.
- Alhassan, Osman (2006) “Traditional Authorities and Sustainable Development: Chiefs
and Resource Management in Ghana”. In Irene Odotei and Albert Awedoba (eds), Chieftaincy in Ghana: Culture, Governance and Development. Sub-Saharan Publishers, Accra; pp. 527 – 546.
- Songsore, J., Osman Alhassan, S. Avle, P. Amponsah, Marshall Kala and Mary Chama (2014) Disaster Risks Monitoring, Livelihoods and Ecology in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA): Ghana Universities Press. 84 pp.
12. Songsore, J., J.S. Nabila, Y. Yangyuoru, S. Avle, E.K. Bosque-Hamilton, P. Amponsah,
and Osman Alhassan (2009), Environmental Health and Disaster Monitoring In The Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (Gama) Legon: Ghana Universities Press. 71 pp.
- Alhassan, O., Awedoba, A., and Ntewusu, S. (2018). “Alhaji Yakubu Tali, Tolon Na: A Glimpse of his Dedication and Pace-Setting Leadership of his Country”. In Akrofi Ansah & Esi Sutherland-Addy (eds.) Building the Nation: Seven Notable Ghanaians. Digibooks, Tema, pp. 171-214.
Co-edited Monograph
14. Adomako Ampofo, Akosua and Osman Alhassan (2007) Examining the Sexual Exploitation of Children on the Streets of Accra. UNICEF, Accra. 84 pp.
15. Osman Alhassan and Iddrisu, A. (2006) Assessing Domestic Violence in Ghana: January 2002 to December 2004. UNICEF, Accra, 123 pp.
Published Research Reports
16. Awumbila, M., Osman Alhassan, Delali M. Badasu, Thomas Antwi Bosiakoh and Ernestina K. Dankyi (2011) Socio-Cultural Dimensions of Migration in Ghana. Migration Studies Technical Paper Series, Technical Paper No. 3, Centre for Migration Studies, Legon.
17. Alhassan, Osman and Takyiwaa Manuh (2005) Land Registration in Eastern and Western Regions, Ghana. Securing Land Rights in Africa Research Report 5, IIED/Russell Press, Nottingham,.43 pp.
18. Alhassan, Osman and Pokua Nimo (1998) “Pretest of Proxy Indicators for Rapid Assessment of Environmental Health Status of Residential Areas: The Case of Nima and Airport Residential Area in Accra”. Annex 4.1 and 4.2. In Jacob Songsore and Gordon McGranahan (Eds.) Indicators for Rapid Assessment of Environmental Health Status of Residential Areas of Greater Accra Metropolitan Area. Urban Environment Series, Report No. 4, Stockholm Environment Institute/Swedish International Development Agency.
Dr. Alhassan has in the past also taught courses such as UGRC 200 Appropriate Technology for Rural Development in Africa; UGRC Africa’s Population Issues; AFST 602 Advanced Research Methods; and AFST 613 African Family Studies.
There is a load of graduate students being supervised by me. These are students from three departments namely (i) Institute of African Studies, (ii) Department of Geography, and (iii) the Centre for Migration Studies. Put together there are Seven (7) students; Five PhD students and Two (2) Master of Philosophy students currently – for the 2023/24 academic year. These students are working on various topics including disaster risks; migration, development, and diaspora engagement; and urban sanitation and health.
Member, Executive Committee of the Legon Muslim Society (July 2015 to present)
Member, Panel of Advisors, Coalition of Muslim Organizations in Ghana (COMOG) (June 2008 to July 2011)
Member and Executive Director, Ghana Ex-Convicts Rehabilitation Projects Management Authority (GERPMA) (June 2009 to May 2011)