El Hadj Souleymane Gassama, known as Elgas, is an associate researcher at IRIS, journalist, writer and doctor of sociology.

He was born in Saint-Louis, grew up in Ziguinchor, Senegal, and has lived in France for the past fifteen years.

His research focuses on giving, debt and money transfers. He is an associate researcher at Cerrev (Centre de recherche risques et vulnérabilités, University of Caen Normandie) and is particularly interested in issues of identity, demography and democracy on the African continent, and its relationship with France.

He has published a travel diary, Un Dieu et des mœurs (Présence Africaine, 2015), a biography, Fadilou Diop, un Juste (Vives Voix, 2021), a novel, Mâle Noir (Ovadia, 2021), and an essay, Les bons ressentiments (Riveneuve, 2022).