College of Education and Human Development

Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development

Abdulrahman Bindamnan

  • Doctoral Candidate, CIDE

Areas of interest

  • “Zero generation” foreign students at U.S. colleges and universities
  • International educational development
  • Childhood trauma and adult learning
  • Rhetoric and composition
  • Islam and modernity
  • Yemen
Degrees

Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) in International Educational Development
University of Pennsylvania (2020—2022)

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology and Religious Studies 
University of Miami (2016—2020)

Biography

After graduating high school there as valedictorian of Yemen, Abdulrahman Bindamnan ventured to the U.S. for further education in 2016. He first earned a BA in psychology and religion from the University of Miami in 2020. Then, two years later, he received an MSEd in International Educational Development from the University of Pennsylvania, where his scholarship was featured in Penn GSE News. In 2022 he began doctoral studies at the University of Minnesota. He is currently completing a PhD dissertation that examines the effect of childhood trauma on adult learning, human development, and international development strategy.

Now fluent in English and Arabic, both in speaking and writing, he has published numerous articles in English in the professional and popular literature. In many of them he aspires to be a cultural conduit between Middle Eastern and Western culture and religion. 

His publications have appeared in the International Journal of Educational DevelopmentInternational Studies in Sociology of EducationMaterial ReligionThe Philadelphia InquirerThe Star TribuneThe Minnesota ReformerActon InstituteMiddle East ForumAmerican Institute for Yemeni Studies, and Heterodox Academy. And he is a contributing author at Psychology Today, where he has published over 50 articles. 

Note to prospective graduate students: if you’re interested in pursuing graduate studies at UMN, feel free to email me at binda019@umn.edu. I’d be happy to help.

Publications

Academic publications

Kelley, J., Watson, A. N., & Bindamnan, A. (2023, September 12). More than meets the eye: Community cultural wealth as a theory for mentoring international studentsNew Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2023, 83–92. 

Bindamnan, A. (2023, June 15). Wild Experiment: Feeling Science and Secularism After Darwin. Material Religion.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, May 26). The Grant Writing Guide: A Road Map for ScholarsJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

Bindamnan, A. (2022, December 9). Learning, Marginalization, and Improving the Quality of Education in Low-income ‎Countries. (D. A. Wagner, N. M. Castillo, & S. G. Lewis‎ [Eds]). International Journal of Educational Development.

Bindamnan, A. (2022, November 22). Schooling As Uncertainty: An Ethnographic Memoir in Comparative Education by Frances VavrusInternational Studies in Sociology of Education.


Professional publications

Bindamnan, A. (2024, January 26). What I learned when I met Houthi rebels in YemenMinnPost.

Bindamnan, A. (2024, January 26). A primer on the Houthis attacking commercial shipping in the Red SeaMinnesota Reformer.

Bindamnan, A. (2024, January 18). I knew Houthis in Yemen. Here's what Americans need to know... Star Tribune.

Bindamnan, A. (2024, January 8). In this new year, will Minnesota face up to its old problem? MinnPost

Bindamnan, A. (2024, January 6). A new strategy to combat IslamophobiaStar Tribune.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, December 4). War is everywhere — just look around and you’ll see itMinnesota Reformer.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, October 31). The long hard journey of Arabs in AmericaStar Tribune.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, August 1). Laws aside, 'no' is still the right answer on drugsStar Tribune.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, July 4). As an international student, I've seen how race affects admissionsStar Tribune.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, June 15). Freedom of Religion Is Inherently GoodReligion & Liberty Online, Acton Institute.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, June 14). Minnesota’s future: Does the cold weather make this state isolating? Star Tribune.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, April 21). Yemeni stampede a familiar tragedy in a chaotic landStar Tribune.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, March 28). Wokeness, Fear of Criticizing Islam Threaten Muslim Progress. Focus on Western Islamism.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, March 9) As a Muslim, I Defend Freedom of Religion and of Speech. So What Happened at Hamline University? ‎Heterodox Academy.‎

Bindamnan, A. (2023, February 2). As a Muslim from Yemen, I am not offended by an instructor showing a piece of art.‎ Minnesota Reformer.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, January 18). As a Muslim, I’m not offended by prophetic caricaturesMinnPost.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, January 10). I fled to U.S. for education, not indoctrinationStar Tribune.

Bindamnan, A. (2022, May 5). The Need to Secularize Islamic Education in YemenAmerican Institute for Yemeni Studies.

Bindamnan, A. (2022, April 15). Some Students, Like Me, Come to the U.S. from War-Torn Areas. Few succeedPhiladelphia Inquirer.


Psychology Today Articles

Bindamnan, A. (2024, January 8). The Power of a Liberal Arts EducationPsychology Today

Bindamnan, A. (2023, November 21).  Does an Ivy League Degree Really Help Secure a Job?‎ Psychology Today.  ‎

Bindamnan, A. ‎(2023, November 14). On Finding the Right Time to WritePsychology Today

Bindamnan, A. (2023, November 8). The Social, Cultural, and Legal Challenges of Dual CitizenshipPsychology Today

Bindamnan, A. (2023, September 13). Psychological Effects of 9/11 on Muslim AmericansPsychology Today

Bindamnan, A. (2023, June 29). Culture Should Unite Us, Not Divide ‎UsPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, June 16). How Stereotype Threat Theory Helps Explain the ‎Accomplishment GapPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, April 9). Stories Captivate Our Attention and ImaginationPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, April 6). Generosity to Foreigners: Leading By ExamplePsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, March 27). How to Become More Confident, in Both Mindset and BehaviorPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, March 20). Why Some People Sleep Better Than Others.‎ Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, March 19). If Speaking Is Silver, Then Silence Is Gold.‎ Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, March 16). Personal Problems Often Have Socially Structured CausesPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, March 14). Trying to Multitask Well? Just Focus on One ThingPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, March 6). The Philosophy of Showing Kindness to StrangersPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, March 3). 3 Tips to Improve Student Mental HealthPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, February 28). To Be Happy, Make Others Happy‎. Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, February 24). So, Who Are You?‎ Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, February 14).  How Does Narcissism Influence Autocratic Leaders?‎ Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, February 13). ‎3 Strategies to Conquer Imposter Syndrome‎. Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, February 10). The Mental Health Crisis in Colleges and UniversitiesPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, February 8). Well-Being Is Inherently HolisticPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, February 1). ‎3 Eastern Strategies To Treat DepressionPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A., Gopen, G. (2023, January 31). How Do Readers Read? ‎Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, January 28). ‎How Does the Body Register War?  Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, January 26). 5 Ways to Create an Inclusive Classroom‎. Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A., Bulgier, V. (2023, January 24). Social Causes of LonelinessPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, January 21). Challenges Zero-Gen Women Face: A Case StudyPsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, January 17). 3 Keys to Success in CollegePsychology Today.

Bindamnan, A., Subih, M. (2023, January 12). From Yemen to Harvard: Why Not? Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A., Wilfert, A. (2023, January 10). How Can Positive Psychology Help ‎Minority Students? Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2023, January 9). 3 Things You Should Know About Muslim Mental Health‎. Psychology Today.

Bindamnan, A. (2022, December 24). The First-Generation vs the Zero Generation ExperiencePsychology Today.

‎Bindamnan, A. (November 30, 2022)‎. Who Are the “Zero-Generation Students”? Psychology  Today.