Until 31 December 2011, Director of the Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA), which is a Research Unit in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Cape Town. Since 1994, PRAESA has focused on language policy in education with special reference to multilingual education and first-language (conventionally, mother-tongue) medium. In this capacity, Alexander has played a key role as advisor on language policy to various government departments. This culminated in him being asked in November 1995 by the then Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology to chair a Language Plan Task Group (LANGTAG) which had to draw up the outline for a national language plan. This plan has served as guideline for legislation pertaining to language issues. Until March 1998, he was also Vice-Chairperson of the Pan South African Language Board. In the period November 1999-December 2003, he was Convenor of a Special Advisory Panel on Language Policy to the Minister of Arts and Culture. Until December 2005, he was a member the Western Cape Language Committee since its inception. He is a member of the Interim Governing Board of the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN). He has written many books and articles and writes regularly on issues of ethnic and racial prejudice and on the politics of identity.