Sharif Abdullah
Shariff Abdullah | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 24, 1951 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, educator, author |
| Known for | Social, cultural, and spiritual change; founder of Commonway Institute |
| Notable work | The Power of One: Authentic Leadership in Turbulent Times; Creating a World That Works for All |
Shariff Abdullah (originally named Sherwood James Sanders; born March 24, 1951) is an American lawyer, educator, and author with a focus on social, cultural, and spiritual change. He promotes the vision of a unified global community and instructs both individuals and groups in embracing inclusivity—the interconnectedness among all life.
He is the author of The Power of One: Authentic Leadership in Turbulent Times as well as Creating a World That Works for All. Abdullah is the founder and current president of the Commonway Institute, and he initiated both the Commons Café and the Common Society Movement.
Early years
Abdullah was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and grew up in Camden, New Jersey. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Clark University and earned his Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law. After passing the North Carolina bar exam in 1977, he started practicing law with Legal Services of the Southern Piedmont located in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Work with Sarvodaya in Sri Lanka
Beginning in 1996, Abdullah has contributed as a senior advisor on a voluntary basis to the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement (Sarvodaya), actively participating in efforts aimed at community development.
Academic positions
- Adjunct faculty at Marylhurst University.
- Lecturer at UC Berkeley.
- Adjunct professor within the Philosophy/Conflict Resolution department at Portland State University.
Bibliography
- Abdullah, Shariff. The Power of One: Authentic Leadership in Turbulent Times. Philadelphia: New Society Publishers, 1995. ISBN 0-9632184-0-9.
- Abdullah, Sharif. Creating a World That Works for All. San Francisco: Berrett-Kohler Publishers, 1999. ISBN 1-57675-062-0. Awarded the Independent Book Publishers Association's "Book of the Year" for Current Affairs in 1999.
- Abdullah, Shariff. "The Soul of a Terrorist: Reflections on Our War with 'The Other'," featured in The Psychology of Terrorism (Vol. I). Greenwood Press, 2002. ISBN 0-275-97771-4.
- Abdullah, Shariff and Beegle, Donna. "The Class Continuum," published in Communication Across Barriers, 2006.