S.E. Abdallah (Sebastian)

Sebastian is a cultural worker, an Arabist and a sociologist. He works as program coordinator 'social and political participation' at the Centre of Expertise for Urban Education at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. He teaches Social Work and Community Organizing. He is also an independent trainer and advisor in the social and educational sectors. His teaching and research focus on developing expertise in working with young people. From an interactionist perspective, he emphasizes experience, emotion and embodied engagement on the microlevel, and the acquiring of influence and power on mezzo and macrolevels. He is the author of various publications, including a book of insights and applications for a social-developmental approach of talent, under the Dutch title “Talentgericht werken” (2016). He obtained his PhD at the University of Amsterdam, defending his dissertation "Struggles for success. Youth work rituals in Amsterdam and Beirut" (2017). He has been on the editorial board for a Dutch platform for Social Issues named 'Sociale Vraagstukken' since 2018.

Sebastian is responsible for educational programs in Social Change & Action, Socio-Cultural Issues, and Critical Youth Studies. In the field, he partners with Combiwel Amsterdam, Dock Amsterdam, Young in Prison, the Regenboog Groep, the Salvation Army, Slimani Gym and independent entrepreneurs. Internationally, he is affiliated with Boston University and the American University of Beirut.