Digital Discourse ZA

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Digital Discourse ZA is a podcast and YouTube channel featuring conversations about South African politics, philosophy, economics, and more. If you would like DDZA to host your conversation, then send us your pitch and bio at digitaldiscourseza@gmail.com.

Digital Discourse ZA


    • Oct 10, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 57m AVG DURATION
    • 119 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Digital Discourse ZA

    Fostering Public Engagement: Academics, Politics & Media

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 65:09


    TK Pooe & Sanet Solomon | The TK Show In this episode, TK interviews political analyst Sanet Solomon. They discuss the current state of South African politics under the GNU government, the need for academics to foster a culture of public engagement, and how to balance listening to non-expert perspectives while preserving academic rigour. They also explore the role of social media in political commentary and discuss why, despite the challenges of poor governance in many provinces, Sanet remains hopeful about South Africa's future. TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Sanet (née Madonsela) Solomon is a tenured Lecturer in the Department of Political Sciences at the University of South Africa (UNISA) teaching second year South Africa Politics (PSC2601) and Political Science and Research (HPPSC81) at Honours level. She is a seasoned political analyst, internationally published author, and PhD Candidate in the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the University of the Free State. She currently serves as a Council Member of the South Africa South Africa Association of Political Studies (SAAPS), and is a member of the International Political Sciences Association (IPSA) and British International Studies Association (BISA).  LinkedIn Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Fit for Purpose

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024 68:52


    TK Pooe & Thabang Motsohi | The TK Show In this episode, TK speaks with Thabang Motsohi about his book, Fit for Purpose. They discuss the core challenges impacting the growth and success of South African institutions, the organisational structure of the ANC, and why, due to conflicting ideological principles and perceptions within its Tripartite Alliance structure, it is not ideally structured for the purpose of governing in the post-apartheid era.  TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Thabang Motsohi is a highly experienced and leading organizational strategy consultant and is in the top tier in the country in this sector. He has assisted various organizations in the development of their competitive strategies and performance drivers for their business models. Thabang Motsohi has published scholarly articles since 2009 on development policy and strategy and how state policy must be structured to address fundamental socio-economic challenges in the South African context. Book Website Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    The US and Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2024 56:53


    Bronwyn Williams & Brooks Spector | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks with political commentator and former US diplomat Brooks Spector about the recent turbulence in US politics and its potential global impact. Together, they take us on a tour across the world, exploring how a Trump or Harris presidency could affect Ukraine, Russia, China, Taiwan, India, Iran, Israel, Gaza, and, of course, South Africa. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Brooks Spector settled in Johannesburg after a career as a US diplomat in Africa and East Asia. He has taught at the U. of the Witwatersrand, been a consultant for an international NGO, run a famous Johannesburg theatre and remains on its board, and been a commentator for South African and international print/broadcast/online media, in addition to writing for The Daily Maverick from day one. The Daily Maverick Facebook Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Shaping Values in a Digital World

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2024 58:45


    Bronwyn Williams & Andrew McLuhan | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks with Andrew McLuhan, the grandson of the noted media theorist Marshall McLuhan. They discuss the enduring relevance of Marshall's ideas, particularly 'the medium is the message,' in today's digital age. The conversation also explores how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the impact of technology on society, the effects it had on the younger generation specifically, how technological changes shape our values, and the steps we can take to safeguard what is important to us. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Andrew McLuhan is a grandson of Marshall McLuhan, noted Canadian professor from the University of Toronto who was a pioneer in the field of Media/Communications studies. Andrew is the director of The McLuhan Institute, created in 2017 to continue the work begun by his grandfather Marshall McLuhan and father Eric McLuhan in exploring and understanding culture and technology. He lectures globally at universities, speaks and gives workshops and consults at companies. Understanding Media Intensive is his most in-depth course, leading three full cohorts through Gray Area since 2020. Twitter Blog The McLuhan Institute Subscribe to our Substack. Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    South Africa vs France: Whose Politics Would You Choose?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2024 65:45


    TK Pooe & Marianne Severin | The TK Show This episode was recorded on 15 July 2024. In this episode, TK speaks to Dr. Marianne Séverin about the differences and parallels between South Africa and France. They discuss the impact of political corruption on South Africa, the history of the National Front and Jean-Marie Le Pen in France, what motivates French voters, the legacy of French colonialism in Africa, the virtues of South African media, if the rise of the far right threatens the European Union, and the socio-political challenges facing French society. Marianne Séverin (PhD) is a French researcher of African descent who specializes in South Africa's political context. She has covered South African politics for over 30 years, having written her PhD dissertation on the ANC's political networks. In addition to this, her research encompasses human rights in Africa, including women's rights, disability rights, and the Right to Development, as well as the fight against corruption and Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs). Since 2023, she has been teaching courses on peace processes in Africa and will soon introduce courses on International Development and International Solidarity. LinkedIn TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    The Realignment of South African Politics

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2024 50:26


    Bronwyn Williams & Mandy Wiener | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to journalist and author Mandy Wiener about South Africa's ever-evolving political situation. How unified is our government of national unity? How binding are the agreements between the ANC and its GNU partners? What stops Ramaphosa from changing his cabinet at will? They also discuss how the realignment of South African politics impacts the country's investability, whether our politics should be held hostage by market forces, the false dichotomy between a country's economy and its people, the historical context behind many South Africans' resistance towards having the DA in government, why political parties choose such mediocre men to represent them, the parallels between SA politics and the US, and why our current political turmoil may be a sign of a maturing democracy. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Mandy Wiener is one of South Africa's best known and most credible journalists and authors. She is the current host of the Midday Report on 702 and Cape Talk and is a regular columnist for News24. She has published numerous best-selling books and is a prominent social media commentator. For the past two decades Mandy has worked as a multi award-winning reporter specialising in investigative journalism and legal matters. Covering stories such as the trial of former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi and the murder of Brett Kebble, she earned a reputation for her work in exposing South Africa's criminal underworld. These included exposes on Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir, Teazers boss Lolly Jackson and other mysterious murders Website Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Free Speech, Hate Speech, and the Inconsistency of Our Courts

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2024 56:43


    Bronwyn Williams & Mark Oppenheimer | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks with advocate Mark Oppenheimer about South Africa's hate speech legislation and several notable cases: Jon Qwelane, Penny Sparrow, Vicki Momberg, Afriforum versus Julius Malema, and the controversy surrounding the old South African flag. They explore the definition of hate speech under South African law, the apparent leniency of South African courts towards political leaders, the motivations behind some Constitutional Court judgments, blasphemy laws, the distinction between hate speech and hurtful speech, and how the law can — and has been — exploited to suppress free speech and punish political enemies. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Mark Oppenheimer is a practicing advocate and member of the Johannesburg Bar. He has appeared in the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court in a series of cases that seek to determine the boundary between freedom of expression and genuine hate speech. Mark has authored submissions to Parliament on the Hate Speech Bill and to the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on escalating racial tensions. He has also presented an oral submission to parliament on expropriation without compensation. Mark is also the host of the popular philosophy series Brain in a Vat and the co-author of the Conversations about Philosophy Book Series. Website Brain in a Vat Publications Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Economic History: Lessons from the Past

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2024 51:43


    Bronwyn Williams & Johan Fourie | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to economic historian Johan Fourie. They discuss the progress humanity has made over the last few centuries, what the field of economics can do better, the mismatch between data and peprception, why GDP remains a useful measure of growth, the role of language in driving various industries, the perils of the degrowth fad, and what economic lessons humanity refuses to learn. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Johan Fourie is a professor of economics at Stellenbosch University where he teaches economic history to graduate and undergraduate students. He is a prolific blogger and the author of Our Long Walk to Economic Freedom, an accessible introduction to global economic history from an African perspective. Book Website Substack Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    SA Election 2024: Review the Future

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2024 70:45


    TK Pooe & Justice Malala | The TK Show In this episode, TK speaks to Justice Malala to unpack South Africa's 2024 elections. They discuss the rise and fall of the ANC, the new normal of coalition politics, the juxtaposition of hope and fear in the current political climate, the lack of political violence during the elections, why the Government of National Unity may only be so in name, the capitalist undercurrents in the ANC, how Jacob Zuma will try to continue to cause havoc in SA politics, what the incoming administration needs to focus on, and more. TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Justice Malala is one of South Africa's foremost political commentators and the author of the #1 bestseller “We Have Now Begun Our Descent: How to Stop South Africa Losing its Way.” A longtime weekly columnist for The Times (South Africa), he has also written for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and Financial Times, among other outlets. The former publisher of The Sowetan and Sunday World, he now lives in New York. Website Twitter   Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    In this Economy?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 55:01


    Bronwyn Williams & Kyla Scanlon | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to one of the internet's favourite financial educators, Kyla Scanlon, about her book, In this Economy? They discuss the hidden forces driving key economic outcomes, the most common economic myths, outdated assumptions that constrain our political imagination, and what a bold new path to building a prosperous society that works for everyone could look like. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Kyla Scanlon is an economic commentator and Bloomberg contributor who specializes in human-centric analysis that demystifies the complex. She started her career as a car salesperson before becoming an associate at Capital Group, conducting macroeconomic analysis and modeling investment strategies. Book Website YouTube Twitter Substack Podcast Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    SA Election 2024: Can We Trust the Polls?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024 88:50


    TK Pooe & Lukhona Mnguni | The TK Show In this episode, TK speaks with political maverick Lukhona Mnguni. They explore Lukhona's journey as a political commentator, delve into the difference between neutrality and objectivity, and discuss why Lukhona rejects the label “political analyst.” The conversation also addresses the fearmongering around the so-called “Doomsday Coalition” between the ANC and the EFF, examines how polling can be manipulated to advance political agendas, and envisions what South Africa might look like beyond the 2024 elections. TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Lukhona Mnguni is a governance, politics and development specialist and currently serves as the Acting Executive Director and Head of Policy and Research at the Rivonia Circle. He has also played in the politics broadcasting space, having hosted a flagship show: Power Talk on POWER987, a commercial radio station in Gauteng Province and recently, On the Spot with Lukhona Mnguni on eNCA. He holds a Bachelor's in Community and Development Studies and an Honours degree in Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies, both achieved cum laude from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Lukhona completed his MSc in Africa and International Development at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2015.  Twitter Rivonia Circle Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Busting the “Disillusioned Youth” Myth

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2024 43:51


    Bronwyn Williams & Gareth van Onselen | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to political analyst Gareth van Onselen. They discuss his recent essay, in which Gareth challenges the common and popular narrative that suggests declining youth registration and voting patterns in South Africa are best attributed to disillusionment rather than apathy. Essay Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Gareth van Onselen is the CEO of Victory Research and the editor of Inside Politics. He studied at Wits University, obtaining a masters degree in sociology before entering the world of politics in 2001. Up until 2012, he worked for the Democratic Alliance in various different capacities, most of which involved communications and political analysis. Subsequently, he worked for the Sunday Times as a Senior Reporter and the Institute of Race Relations as Head of Politics before joining Victory Research. Twitter Victory Research Inside Politics Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    South Africa Election 2024: Who Will be Kingmaker?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2024 28:07


    Bronwyn Williams & Ray Hartley | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to Research Director of the Brenthurst Foundation, Ray Hartley. They discuss South Africa's upcoming election, the Bernthurst Foundation's recent polling results, the likelihood of a coalition government, whether will Ramaphosa side with the centrists or the populists, the quick rise of the MK party and the possibility of them merging with the EFF, the DA's electability problem, and more. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Ray Hartley is an author and the Research Director of the Brenthurst Foundation. Ray has a postgraduate honours degree from Rhodes University where he studied African politics and journalism. Ray was an anti-apartheid activist in the United Democratic Front while serving on the executive of the National Union of South African Students. After a stint as the boxing correspondent of the then Weekly Mail, he joined Business Day and then the Sunday Times. He has edited several prominent South African newspapers and online publications, including the Sunday Times, The Times, Rand Daily Mail and BusinessLIVE. Twitter Book The Brenthurst Foundation Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    The Many Futures of Africa

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2024 64:40


    TK Pooe & Koffi M. Kouakou | The TK Show In this episode, TK speaks to Foresight and Scenario Planning Strategist Koffi M. Kouakou. They discuss Koffi's upbringing in Côte d'Ivoire, how he became interested in scenario planning, food security in Africa, China's success with central planning, the need for African countries to free themselves from the yoke of colonialism, the various revolutionary movements happening across Africa, the phenomenon of resource nationalism, and why Africa struggles to produce a better class of political elites. TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Koffi M. Kouakou is a Foresight and Scenario Planning Strategist and a sessional lecturer at the Tayarisha Research Group at the Wits School of Governance, Johannesburg, South Africa. He is also a senior research fellow at the Centre for Africa China Studies at the University of Johannesburg; managing director of Stratnum Futures, a scenario planning, foresight, strategy advisory firm based in Pretoria; and a director of the South Africa Node of the Millennium Programme, based in Washington, D.C. He is also an alumnus of the Oxford University Said Business School Scenarios Programme and the Global Business Network Developing and Using Scenarios (DUS). LinkedIn Twitter Subscribe to our Substack. Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Every Vote Counts!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2024 54:54


    Bronwyn Williams & Tessa Dooms | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to author Tessa Dooms about her latest book, “Coloured.” They discuss how “Coloured” communities are often sidelined in South Africa as people with no clear heritage or culture, why Coloured South Africans should embrace and celebrate their identity, and how her book was received both in South Africa and abroad. They also talk about the future of South Africa's democracy, including the issue of low voter turnout, the risk of poor voter education, why young men are drawn to populism, and how the 2024 elections could be the most consequential in recent history. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Tessa Dooms is a Director at the Rivonia Circle. She is a sociologist, political analyst, and development practitioner with 15 years' experience. She holds a Master of Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand. Tessa is a trustee of the Kagiso Trust. Book Twitter Rivonia Circle Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    To the Moon!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2023 52:08


    Bronwyn Williams & Adriana Marais | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to theoretical physicist Dr. Adriana Marais. They discuss her plans to launch Africa's inaugural mission to the moon, how exploring uncharted territories breeds new ways of thinking and technological innovation, the phenomenon of resource extraction in space, the idea of colonizing Mars, and how space exploration can provide us with a sense of wonder and much-needed perspective. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Dr. Adriana Marais has a background in theoretical physics, with her Ph.D. and postdoctoral research focusing on quantum effects in biology and the origins of the building blocks of life in space. Currently, Adriana is a researcher at the University of Stellenbosch and the National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences. She is also a faculty member at Singularity University. Additionally, Adriana serves as a director at the Foundation for Space Development Africa, where she is actively involved in preparing Africa's inaugural mission to the Moon—the Africa2Moon Project. Website Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Subscribe to our Substack. Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    What Is Wrong with AI Ethics Discourse?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2023 62:53


    Bronwyn Williams & Josh Gellers | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to Professor Josh Gellers about everything that is wrong with AI ethics discourse. Why are so many ethicists against AI? And why are they so thin-skinned? They discuss the need to embrace complexity in ethics, how bad incentives are hurting academia, the problem of paying too much attention to the loudest voices within a certain field, the importance of challenging dominant narratives, and more. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Josh Gellers is an Associate Professor and Director of the MA in International Affairs program in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of North Florida, Research Fellow of the Earth System Governance Project, Expert with the Global AI Ethics Institute, and former Fulbright Scholar to Sri Lanka. His research, which focuses on environmental governance, rights, and technology, has been published in many peer-reviewed journals and cited in high-level reports. Website Twitter LinkedIn Book: Rights for Robots  Notable papers: AI ethics discourse: a call to embrace complexity, interdisciplinarity, and epistemic humility Open Letter, Closed Minds: Explaining the Response of AI Ethicists to the Call for a ‘Giant Pause' Subscribe to our Substack. Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Capitalism: Unequal but Fair?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2023 42:49


    Bronwyn Williams & Germinal G. Van | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to entrepreneur and political scientist, Germinal G. Van. They discuss the relationship between capitalism and wealth inequality, inequality vs unfairness, the effect of monetary policy on inflation, the virtues of a commodity-backed economy, the entrepreneurial culture of Anglo-Saxon countries, and more. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Germinal G. Van is an award-winning author, economist, political scientist, and scholar. He is a member of the National Association of Business Economics and the Economic History Association. He was born in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. He immigrated to the United States in 2010. He obtained a bachelor's degree in political science from the Catholic University of America in 2014, earned a master's degree in political management from George Washington University in 2017, and acquired a non-degree certificate in Mathematical Statistics from Duke University. His works mainly focus on Public Choice Theory, Economic History, Econometrics, Statistics, and Mathematical Economics. GGV Publishing Company, LLC The Lake Street Review, Inc. Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Scenarios for South Africa's Uncertain Future

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2023 46:55


    Bronwyn Williams & Ray Hartley | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to author Ray Hartley about his latest book, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Scenarios for South Africa's Uncertain Future. They discuss the possible outcomes of the 2024 elections, how different outcomes would shape South Africa's immediate future, the likelihood of the ANC and the EFF forming a coalition government, South Africa's geopolitical position in a polarised world, and whether South Africans have reason for optimism. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Ray Hartley is an author and the Research Director of the Brenthurst Foundation. Ray has a postgraduate honours degree from Rhodes University where he studied African politics and journalism. Ray was an anti-apartheid activist in the United Democratic Front while serving on the executive of the National Union of South African Students. After a stint as the boxing correspondent of the then Weekly Mail, he joined Business Day and then the Sunday Times. He has edited several prominent South African newspapers and online publications, including the Sunday Times, The Times, Rand Daily Mail and BusinessLIVE. Twitte Book The Brenthurst Foundation Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Citizens Not Consumers

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2023 58:31


    Bronwyn Williams & Jon Alexander | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to author Jon Alexander about his book Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us. They discuss the power of narratives, the need for institutions to treat us as citizens instead of consumers, the problem of hyperindividualism, the difference between charity and citizenship, the Occupy Wall Street movement, and more. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Jon Alexander began his career with success in advertising, winning the prestigious Big Creative Idea of the Year before making a dramatic change. Driven by a deep need to understand the impact on society of 3,000 commercial messages a day, he gathered three Masters degrees, exploring consumerism and its alternatives from every angle. In 2014, he co-founded the New Citizenship Project to bring the resulting ideas into contact with reality. In Citizens, he is ready to share them with the world. Book Twitter LinkedIn Website Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Make Love Not Porn

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2023 57:13


    Bronwyn Williams & Cindy Gallop | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to Cindy Gallop, the founder of MakeLoveNotPorn, the world's first user-generated, human-curated social sex video-sharing platform, celebrating realworld sex. They discuss how hardcore pornography has distorted the way a generation of young men thinks about sex, the importance of good sexual values and good sexual behavior, the demand for real intimacy in porn, the awkwardness and messiness of social sex, the institutional boycotting of adult content, and more. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Cindy Gallop is an English advertising consultant, founder and former chair of the US branch of advertising firm Bartle Bogle Hegarty, and founder of the IfWeRanTheWorld and MakeLoveNotPorn companies. According to the TED blog, Gallop's TEDTalk "Make Love Not Porn" was one of the "most talked about presentations" at the 2009 TED conference. She lives in New York City. MakeLoveNotPorn LinedIn Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Cultivating Equality

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2023 48:33


    Bronwyn Williams & Wandile Sihlobo | The Small Print Nearly three decades after the dawn of democracy, South Africa has remained a country of ‘two agricultures'. On the one hand we have a subsistence, primarily non-commercial, black farming segment. On the other hand, however, we have a predominantly commercial and white farming sector that is well-resourced and has access to domestic and international trade networks. In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to economist Wandile Sihlobo about his latest book, A Country of Two Agricultures, which focuses on why these disparities have persisted in the democratic era, and what it will take to overcome them. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Wandile Sihlobo is the Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and the author of “Finding Common Ground: Land, Equity, and Agriculture.” He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Fort Hare and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Stellenbosch University. Wandile is a Senior Lecturer Extraordinary at the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University and a Visiting Research Fellow at the Wits School of Governance. In 2019, he was appointed as a member of President Cyril Ramaphosa's Presidential Economic Advisory Council after serving on the Presidential Expert Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture between 2018 and 2019. Book Website Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Redefining Ownership

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2023 45:06


    Bronwyn Williams & Steven Sidley | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwy speaks to author Steven Sidley about his latest book, It's Mine: How the Crypto Industry Is Redefining Ownership. They discuss the history of and concept of “ownership,” the complexity of guaranteeing ownership rights in the digital space, how blockchain technology can be repurposed, the strange cultural phenomenon of NFTs, and how these new crypto ‘life-forms' will interact with the rest of the virtual and physical world. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Steven Boykey Sidley is an award-winning and multi-shortlisted author and playwright. He is the author of the novels Entanglement, Stepping Out, Imperfect Solo, Free Association, Leaving Word and the play Shape (co-written with his wife Kate Sidley), as well as the 2022 non-fiction release Beyond Bitcoin: Decentralised Finance and The End of Banks (co-written with Simon Dingle). He is currently a partner at Bridge Capital Future Advisory, in charge of their technology practice, and is an investor in a number of technology and crypto companies. Sidley was appointed to the position of Professor at the University of Johannesburg, Graduate School of Business (JBS) in 2022, to pursue research and teaching in blockchain and 4IR technologies. Book Twitter Website Subscribe to our Substack. Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    South Africa's Surveillance State

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2023 55:47


    Bronwyn Williams & Heidi Swart | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to investigative journalist Heidi Swart. They discuss the work the organisation Intelwatch is doing to expose and fight back against increasing state surveillance in South Africa — and Africa at large. The conversation covers emerging legislation that should be of concern for all South African citizens and the challenge of convincing citizens that their rights to privacy are important and worth protecting. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Heidi Swart is a South African investigative journalist who writes about espionage, security, surveillance and data privacy issues in both the public and private spheres. She's written extensively about illegal government surveillance, interception technologies, cyberspying and cybersecurity, risks to critical communications infrastructure, social media monitoring, data mining for surveillance purposes, public space surveillance, video analytics (including facial recognition, automatic licence plate recognition systems, etc.), the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on surveillance practices, and biometric surveillance.  Twitter Daily Maverick Intelwatch Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    The Opportunities of Fragmented Politics

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2023 80:25


    TK Pooe & Ralph Mathekga | The TK Show In this episode, TK speaks to author and political analyst, Dr Ralph Mathekga. They discuss the complexities of local government, the trade-off between efficient service delivery and compliance, the fragmentation of global politics, tensions between BRICS countries, the impact of the war in Ukraine on Africa, the military coup in Niger, the presence of the Wagner group and other mercenaries in Africa, the legacy of French colonialism in Africa, and more. TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Ralph Mathekga is an author and political analyst. He has a master's degree in Political Science from Witwatersrand University and a PhD from the University of Johannesburg. Ralph worked as a Political Researcher with the Institute for Democracy in South Africa, where he focused on political, social and economic research. He also worked as a Lecturer at the University of Western Cape, teaching courses in Political Studies. He has worked at the National Treasury in the Budget Office as a Senior Policy Analyst. Ralph continues to contribute content for opinion articles in newspapers and to provide interviews on TV and radio on current affairs in South Africa and overseas. He has authored the books “When Zuma Goes” (Tafelberg, 2016) and “Ramaphosa's Turn” (Tafelberg, 2018). He is currently a News24 columnist and a Senior at the Centre for Humanities Research at the University of the Western Cape, where he leads a project on Revolutionary Constitutionalism. Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    The Durban Ratepayers' Rebellion

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2023 51:13


    Bronwyn Williams & Asad Gaffar | The Small Print Recorded on 11 August ‘23. Homeowners in Westville and surrounding suburbs in Durban are opting to withhold their monthly rates payments in protest against eThekwini municipality's recent tariff hike and failing service delivery. In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to the chairman of the Westville Ratepayers Association, Asad Gaffar, about how the protest is progressing. More information about the Westville Ratepayers Association campaign: Westville Ratepayers Association Twitter Facebook GroundUp article Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Are Property Rights Natural Rights?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2023 51:13


    Bronwyn Williams & Martin van Staden | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to the head of the Free Market Foundation, Martin van Staden. They discuss property rights in South Africa, how much of South African land is publicly owned, the Khaya Lam project, the importance of giving people ownership, whether property rights are natural rights, the Coase theorem, the problem of monopolies, and more. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Martin van Staden is the Head of Policy at the Free Market Foundation, Editor of RaceLaw.co.za, Editor in Chief of the Rational Standard, and a columnist at the Daily Friend. He additionally serves on the Board of Advisors of BridgeAfrica, and as the South African Policy Fellow at the international Consumer Choice Center. Martin has an LL.M. (Master of Laws) degree, with distinction, from the University of Pretoria, and is pursuing an LL.D. (Doctor of Laws) at the same institution. Twitter Website Khaya Lam Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    The Future of BRICS

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2023 54:06


    Bronwyn Williams & William Gumede | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to author and political analyst William Gumede. They discuss the history and future of BRICS, South Africa's role in it, the challenges and opportunities of a BRICS common currency, the importance of democracy for development, the historical ties between Russian and African countries, the Russian war in Ukraine, and more. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website William Gumede is Associate Professor at the School of Governance at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is Executive Chairperson of Democracy Works Foundation and former Deputy Editor of The Sowetan newspaper. During the anti-apartheid struggle, Gumede held several leadership positions in South African student, civics and trade union movements. He was a political violence mediator and area coordinator for the National Peace Committee during the multiparty negotiations for a democratic South Africa and was seconded to South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He is the author of several number 1 bestsellers. His more recent books include “Restless Nation: Making Sense of Troubled Times” and “South Africa in BRICS – Salvation or Ruination.” Twitter Democracy Works Subscribe to our Substack. Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Beyond the Constitution

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2023 67:38


    Bronwyn Williams & TK Pooe | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to fellow Discourse ZA host TK Pooe about South Africa's failure to become a middle-income country in spite of — or possibly because of — South Africa's globally-lauded constitution. They discuss what it would take for South Africa to become a developmental state, the relationship — or lack thereof — between economic growth and Western values, the dangers of having too many citizens dependent on the state, the possibility of South Africa becoming a regional hegemon, and the need for South Africa citizens getting their hands dirty at politics. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Can Johannesburg be Saved?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2023 53:50


    Bronwyn Williams & Giulietta Talevi | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to the investing editor of the Financial Mail and Joburg resident Giulietta Talevi about the rapid demise of “the corrupt city of her dreams.” They discuss the investability of Johannesburg, the instability of coalition politics, how Joburg's neo-feudal enclaves are accelerating the city's demise, the importance of strategic voting, why tax revolts are a bad idea, how community-led initiatives can create confidence in the city, and why we should consider turning to the judiciary system when the electoral process fails us. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Giulietta Talevi is a seasoned financial journalist and the money and investing editor at the Financial Mail. She also hosts Stock Watch on Business Day TV where she began her career in 2001 as a rookie reporter, covering companies across the JSE, as well as the broader economy and financial markets. She began writing for Business Day and the Financial Mail in 2017. Giulietta also has a weakness for small-cap stocks that tend to lose her money. Twitter Financial Mail Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Corruption, Incompetence, or Ideology: What is to Blame for SA's Woes?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2023 62:27


    TK Pooe & John Endres | The TK Show In this episode, TK speaks to the head of the Insitute of Race Relations, John Endres. They discuss the IRR's history in South Africa, the tenets of classical liberalism, the role of think tanks in South African politics, the relationship between the IRR and the DA, South Africa's diminishing global reputation, and whether corruption, incompetence, or ideology is to blame for South Africa's woes. TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn John Endres is the CEO of the Institute of Race Relations (IRR). He holds a doctorate in commerce and economics from one of Germany's leading business schools, the Otto Beisheim School of Management, as well as a Master's in Translation Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand. John has extensive work experience in the retail and services industries as well as the non-profit sector, having previously worked for the liberal Friedrich Naumann Foundation and as founding CEO of Good Governance Africa, an advocacy organisation. Daily Friend Institute of Race Relations Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    The Plot to Save South Africa

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2023 74:37


    TK Pooe & Justice Malala | The TK Show In this episode, TK speaks to Justice Malala about his latest book, “The Plot to Save South Africa,” which tells the story of the nine tumultuous days after the assassination of Chris Hani in 1993. They discuss the political violence of the early 90s, why Chris Hani was Mandela's heir apparent, and how Nelson Mandela's leadership helped prevent South Africa from plunging into a civil war. They also discuss how Justice became interested in politics, what lessons from the Chris Hani sage can be applied to today's challenges, and what South Africa can do to repair its global reputation. TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Justice Malala is one of South Africa's foremost political commentators and the author of the #1 bestseller “We Have Now Begun Our Descent: How to Stop South Africa Losing its Way.” A longtime weekly columnist for The Times (South Africa), he has also written for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and Financial Times, among other outlets. The former publisher of The Sowetan and Sunday World, he now lives in New York. Website Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Would You Follow a Robot Leader?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2023 49:07


    Bronwyn Williams & Theo Priestley | The Small Print Advancing algorithms, big data feeding artificial intelligence, precipitous machine learning and science fiction being replaced by science fact — all of these are radically affecting how we do business. The genie is out of the bottle and there's no way to stuff it back in again. In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to fellow futurist Theo Priestley about the growing relevance of AI. They discuss some of the risks of an overreliance on AI, how automation will primarily displace “bullshit jobs”, why AI is unlikely to usher in an era of fully automated luxury communism, and why UBI is not going to save us. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Theo Priestley is a globally recognised and sought-after futurist and international speaker, author, and authority on the future of business, technology and society focusing on the convergence of emerging trends, including Web3, Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence. He is widely known for his forthright views on the negative impacts of technology on society and currently works to inform political and business leaders of the risks and benefits of adoption. He recently authored the book, The Future Starts Now, published internationally through Bloomsbury. Book Website Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    The Allure of Cape Town

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2023 48:42


    Bronwyn Williams & Geordin Hill-Lewis | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to the Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis. They discuss Geordin's journey into politics, Cape Town's homelessness crisis, how his office plans to manage the influx of people moving to Cape Town, the feasibility and desirability of a Cape secession movement, how Cape Town manages to outspend all other major cities on infrastructure, the complexity of coalition politics, and Geordin's political aspirations. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Geordin Hill-Lewis is a South African politician who is the Mayor of Cape Town. A member of the Democratic Alliance, he was elected mayor in November 2021. Hill-Lewis attended Edgemead High School, obtained an Honours degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from UCT, and a Masters in Finance specialising in Economic Policy from London University. Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Is it Better Never to Have Been?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2023 57:58


    Bronwyn Williams Lawrence Anton | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to activist Lawrence Anton about antinatalism, the ethical view that creating life is morally bad. They discuss some misconception people have about the movement, Lawrence's own reasons for becoming an antinatalist, the relationship between antinatalism and climate alarmism, veganism, and the problem of wild animal suffering. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Lawrence Anton is an antinatalist content creator and activist. He seeks to encourage others to question whether bringing new life into the world is a good thing, and those that have already reached this conclusion to work in making the world a better place with that in mind. YouTube Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Moral Musings

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2023 55:30


    Bronwyn Williams & Rich Mulholland | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to entrepreneur Rich Mulholland. They discuss the joys of reading, Rich's journey to veganism, the tradeoffs between values, the philosophy of antinatalism, the dangers of audience capture and reflexive contrarianism, the problem of political polarisation, and the importance of self-reflection. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Richard Mulholland is an author, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of presentation powerhouse Missing Link, as well as the co-founder of 21Tanks, HumanWrit.es and The Sales Department. He has written three books, Legacide, Boredom Slayer, and Here Be Dragons. He was voted top 40 under 40, and top 300 South Africans to take to lunch. Mostly though he's a husband, father, son, brother, and uncle. Website LinkedIn Twitter Missing Link Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Protopia, Not Utopia

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2023 75:47


    Bronwyn Williams & Monika Bielskyte | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to futurist Monika Bielskyte. They talk about Monika's latest project, “Protopia Futures”, which rejects the false binary of dystopian and utopian visions, and is based on principles of plurality, creativity, and the evolution of values. They also discuss the issues of gatekeeping in the futurist space, and some of the problems with the “longtermism” movement.  Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Monika Bielskyte is a futures researcher working at the intersection of science/tech-culture-politics. Her clients include Google, Nike, Universal, Disney Marvel, BBC, and Microsoft. She is currently developing @protopiafutures — a platform for research & creative collaborations challenging & offering alternatives to dystopian/utopian stereotypes. Protopia explores visions of radically hopeful & inclusive futures centering Queerness, Indigeneity, Disability & previously marginalized cultural perspectives. Twitter LinkedIn Protopia Futures Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed    

    South Africa's Fiscal Squeeze

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2023 47:35


    Bronwyn Williams & Chris Hattingh | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to the CRA's Head of Policy Analysis, Chris Hatting, about South Africa's 2023 budget speech. They discuss the increasing costs of debt-servicing South Africa's SOEs, the difficulty of accessing international investments after South Africa's greylisting, the impact of global “greening” initiatives on South Africa's export industry, the withering away of South Africa's tax base, and how the growing reliance on social welfare programs is destabilising South Africa's social contract. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Chris Hattingh is Head of Policy Analysis at the Centre For Risk Analysis (CRA). Chris has a special interest in trade and economic policy and is a member of the advisory council of the Initiative for African Trade and Prosperity, as well as a Senior Fellow at African Liberty. He holds an MPhil degree from Stellenbosch University. Twitter LinkedIn CRA Youtube Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

    What Is the Real State of the Nation?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2023 70:28


    TK Pooe & Matlala Setlhalogile | The TK Show In this episode, TK is joined by political economist Matlala Setlhalogile to discuss the real state of the nation. They talk about the political fragmentation of South African society, the growing number of black middle-class citizens considering emigration, the need to cultivate a culture of active citizenship and accountability among ordinary South Africans, the lack of ideological coherence among ANC comrades, and whether local parties are mature enough to handle a coalition government. TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Matlala Setlhalogile is a Political Economist. He has been part of policy advisory work for government such as co-developing the SMME Internationalisation Strategy for the Department of Small Business Development, and being a researcher on the work on illicit financial flows (transparency in beneficial ownership) for the Department of Public Service and Administration. He is currently a Lecturer at the Wits School of Governance. Twitter Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Stats and Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2023 50:35


    Bronwyn Williams & Pali Lehohla | The Small Print “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.” - Charles Goodhart In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to Statistician General of South Africa, Dr. Pali Lehohla. They discuss how statistics can be abused to tell one's preferred narrative, the difficulty of extracting truth from numbers without politicising them, and how an overreliance on GDP as a metric can come at the cost of human happiness. Bronwyn and Pali also talk about the prevalence of poverty in South Africa, the necessity to view it through a dimensional lens, and how current ANC policies are failing to address the underlying problems. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Dr. Pali Lehohla is the Statistician General of South Africa, a position he held since November of 2000. He is the Chair of Africa Symposium for Statistical Development (ASSD), a country-led initiative established in 2006 and the aim of which is to put statistical evidence at the centre of policy in Africa. From 2005 to 2010 he served in a variety of portfolios, including as the Chair of the United Nations Statistics Commission, Chair of Statistics Commission Africa and also Chair of PARIS21 a global partnership for statistical development in the 21st Century. Subscribe to our Substack. Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

    Land Is a (Very) Big Deal

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2023 50:47


    Bronwyn Williams & Lars Doucet | The Small Print Land and the policies that govern it hold an incredible but largely forgotten power over our lives. When land is wasted and squandered, we get sky-high rents, oppressed workers, ruined businesses, depleted natural resources, a polluted earth, and an impoverished society. Poor land policy is the chief culprit behind sky-high urban rents, homelessness, and endless suburban sprawl. Meanwhile, real estate has become the world's number one asset class, comprising an ever-growing share of bank loans worldwide. In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to Lance Doucet, author of Land is a Big Deal, which draws on the insights of legendary American economist Henry George to explain how things got this way, as well as what we can do to fix it. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Lars A. Doucet is the co-founder of Geo Land Solutions, a company that specializes in real estate mass appraisal. Formerly he has co-founded Level Up Labs, LLC, a video game development and software consultancy firm. A dual citizen of the Kingdom of Norway and the United States of America, Lars has long had an interest in economics and systems theory. He is the author of the book “Land is a Big Deal”, and lives with his wife and three children in the Brazos Valley in Texas. Book Twitter Substack Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

    The Futility of Pessimism

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2023 65:58


    Bronwyn Williams & Bruce Whitfield | The Small Print South Africa and its fraught political economy provide a fascinating case study into how it takes a particular brand of genius to thrive in a difficult domestic environment and to take those ideas and the businesses that deliver them global. In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to journalist Bruce Whitfield about his latest book, Genius: How to Take Smart Ideas Global. They discuss the need for optimism in a world full of challenges and opportunities, how greatness comes from acting on a purpose, and how a generation of South Africans is solving problems and adding value across the globe. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Bruce Whitfield is a business speaker, journalist, and author who interprets the noise at the murky intersection where business, politics and society collide. He is a sought-after keynote speaker with three decades of impeccable journalistic credentials. Bruce has shared platforms with Bill and Hillary Clinton, Nouriel Roubini, Charlize Theron, Lord Mervyn King, and hundreds of business and political luminaries and personalities. He is also an award-winning journalist known by most as the fast-paced and insightful Money Show host. Book Website Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

    A New Vision for South Africa

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2022 60:32


    Bronwyn Williams & Songezo Zibi | The Small Print While the structural conditions that created the initial inequalities in South Africa are a result of colonialism and apartheid, the worsening of this condition after 2010 is the result of political negligence, incompetence and rampant corruption borne out of a deep disconnection between the political elites and the real needs of the people. In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to Songezo Zibi about his book “Manifesto: A New Vision for South Africa.” They discuss South Africa's urgent need to overhaul its political and state institutions, the uncoupling of democracy from neoliberal economic policies, and the importance of values — not just rules — in a functional society. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Songezo Zibi has more than 20 years of corporate experience, during which time he has been a communication and corporate affairs professional and a leader in diverse industries. Prior to joining Absa as the Head of Communications, he was the editor of Business Day. As a journalist and editor, Songezo has written extensively about South Africa's political system, economy and social dynamics. Since 2007 he has been a consistent and recognised voice for accountability, good governance, nation-building and the creation of a dynamic, inclusive economy. In January 2022, he announced the launching of Rivonia Circle, a think tank that will give birth to innovative and more effective ways of political participation. Manifesto is his second book, following on from the acclaimed Raising the Bar: Hope and Renewal in South Africa. Book Rivonia Circle Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

    Preparing for the Singularity

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2022 62:11


    Bronwyn Williams & David Wood | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to David Wood about his book, The Singularity Principles: Anticipating and managing cataclysmically disruptive technologies. They talk about what the singularity is, what it is not, and the steps humanity must take to ensure that we'll experience a positive singularity rather than a negative singularity. They discuss what it would it take to bring about Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), the complex interplay of forces that are leading society to the adoption of ever-more powerful technologies, and the necessary role of regulation and surveillance initiatives in safeguarding our futures. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website David Wood is a futurist speaker, analyst, commentator, and writer. His focus is on potential radical transformations in society and humanity - transformations enabled by accelerating technological disruption and mediated by social and political reaction. He has an MA in Mathematics from Cambridge University and an honorary doctorate in science (DSc) from the University of Westminster. He is the author or lead editor of eleven books, the most recent of which is “The Singularity Principles.” Twitter Books Vital syllabus Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

    Facing Our Futures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2022 63:28


    Bronwyn Williams & Nikolas Badminton | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to fellow futurist Nikolas Badminton about his upcoming book “Facing Our Futures.” They discuss some of the misconceptions people have about their work, what individuals and businesses can do to ensure that they are prepared for an unpredictable future, and why curiosity, imagination, and open-mindedness are key in unlocking incredible futures. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Nikolas Badminton is the Chief Futurist at futurist.com. He's a world-renowned futurist speaker, consultant, author media producer, and executive advisor that has spoken to, and worked with, over 300 of the world's most impactful organizations and governments. He helps shape the visions that shape impactful organizations, trillion-dollar companies, progressive governments, and 200+ billion dollar investment funds. Website Twitter Facing Our Futures Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

    Taking Back the Power

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2022 47:25


    Bronwyn Williams & Nick Hedley | The Small Print In this episode of The Small Print, Bronwyn speaks to “the annoying climate guy”, Nick Hedley, about the global energy crisis. They discuss ways of addressing climate change without embracing degrowth policies, the decentralization of energy production, Europe's accelerated transition to renewables, the emergence of solar cooperatives, and carbon-offsetting initiatives. Bronwyn and Nick also look at the viability — and controversy — of using carbon credit scores to nudge consumers to reduce their personal carbon footprint. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Nick Hedley is a financial journalist and columnist. He studied economics, has worked for Business Day and other finance-focused publications, and has lived across South Africa and in Hong Kong. Nick has a strong focus on the climate crisis and inequality. He's constantly pissed off by South Africa's coal minister, Gwede Mantashe. Twitter Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

    The Quest for Genuine Justice

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2022 57:56


    Bronwyn Williams & Bryan Caplan | The Small Print In this episode of The Small Print, Bronwyn speaks to author Bryan Caplan about his latest book Don't Be a Feminist: A Letter to My Daughter, a compilation of essays in which Caplan challenges the conventional view that we treat women less fairly than men as well as other social justice dogmas. Book Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Bryan Caplan is an American economist and author. Caplan is a professor of economics at George Mason University, research fellow at the Mercatus Center, adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, and former contributor to the Freakonomics blog and EconLog. He currently publishes his own blog, Bet on It. Twitter Bet on It Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

    Cold War 2.0

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2022 58:36


    Bronwyn Williams & Velina Tchakarova | The Small Print In this episode of The Small Print, Bronwyn is joined by political scientist Velina Tchakarova to discuss the latest geopolitical trends playing out across the globe. They talk about the latest status on Russia's war on Ukraine, the impact of Europe's dependence on Russian gas, the idea of neutrality in the midst of a geopolitical power struggle, the brewing cold war between the US and China, and more. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Velina Tchakarova is the Director of the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES) in Vienna, Austria. Her work includes research, consulting, lectures, and publications on global and regional trends, risks and scenarios for the public and private sector. She tweets at @vtchakarova. Twitter Website AIES Geopolitics course Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

    Taking Refuge in the Virtual World

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2022 40:43


    Bronwyn Williams & Edward Castronova | The Small Print If people can inhabit virtual worlds that are more alluring and gratifying than reality, then how can the real world ever compete? In this episode of The Small Print, Brownyn speaks to professor Edward Castronova about the phenomenon of virtual realities. They discuss VR's rising relevance, how economies inside these worlds can affect real-life financial systems, and what sort of impact these new technologies can — and will — have on business, culture, and society at large. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Edward "Ted" Castronova is a professor of media at Indiana University Bloomington and is best known for his work on virtual economics. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, one of the top economics programs in the country. There, he studied statistics and cost-benefit analysis, fields that provide the tools necessary to put real dollar values on virtual goods. His research as a mid-career professor – four books and dozens of articles – shows that people in virtual worlds are economically rational, and that virtual macroeconomies operate like real ones. Now a senior professor, Castronova serves as a consultant and board member for a wide variety of enterprises. Website Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

    South Africa's Risks & Opportunities

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2022 64:36


    TK Pooe & Bheki Mahlobo | The TK Show In this episode of The TK Show, TK speaks to Senior Analyst at the Centre for Risk Analysis (CRA), Bheki Mahlobo. They talk about how ANC policies have contributed to South Africa's high unemployment rate, what could be done to remedy the situation, and how other emerging countries have managed to avoid this problem. They discuss the possibility of relaxing labour regulations, improving the education system through a voucher system, and how more secure property rights can boost our agricultural sector. It is a wide-ranging conversation that also looks ahead to the 2024 elections, growing political instability in the SADC region, the economic prospects of Europe and the United States, and how China's zero-Covid policy has impacted global economic growth. TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Bheki Mahlobo is a Senior Analyst at the Centre for Risk Analysis (CRA). Bheki is a regular speaker and media commentator, providing analysis of the political and economic trends in South Africa and global markets. Bheki is the co-author of the CRA's client Risk Alert (together with Dr John Endres), a weekly bulletin that identifies the key risks in South Africa and the world. He also contributes research to the Socio-Economic Survey of South Africa, the CRA's flagship reference guide. Center For Risk Analysis Twitter Subscribe to our Substack. Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

    Expensive Poverty

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2022 53:25


    Bronwyn Williams & Greg Mills [The Small Print] Africa has received $1.2 trillion in development assistance since 1990, yet the continent has very little to show for this money. There must be a better way to address the poverty pandemic. In this episode of The Small Print, Bronwyn speaks to the head of the Brenthurst Foundation, Greg Mills, about his latest book, Expensive Poverty which outlines why decades of spending have had such a small impact on improving the lives of the poor — and what we can do to change that. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Dr Greg Mills heads the Brenthurst Foundation, a Johannesburg-based think tank dedicated to strengthening African economic performance. He holds degrees from the Universities of Cape Town (BA Hons) and Lancaster (MA cum laude, and PhD), and was, first, the Director of Studies and then the National Director of the SA Institute of International Affairs from 1994-2005. A member of the advisory board of the Royal United Services Institute, he is the author of the best-selling books Why Africa Is Poor, Africa's Third Liberation, and Expensive Poverty. His writings won him the Recht Malan Prize for Non-Fiction Work in South Africa. Twitter The Brenthurst Foundation Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed

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