A podcast series about South Africa’s past, present, and future. Economic historian Johan Fourie and historical sociologist Jonathan Schoots interview social science scholars investigating fascinating questions about our country and continent and distil those lessons into practical policy suggestions today.
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Johan Fourie Podcasts
NB Publishers is the largest local publishing company in South Africa with seven main imprints, including Human & Rousseau, Tafelberg, Queillerie, Kwela, Best Books, Melinda Ferguson Books, Lux Verbi and Pharos.
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What lives inside of 'don't know'? with demographer Jenny Trinotapali
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52:15
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What can we learn from uncertainty? How can using beans help with measuring uncertainty? And are we really living in unusually uncertain times? In this episode of the Our Long Walk podcast, my co-host Johan Fourie and Jonathan Schoots speak with Jenny Trinitapoli, Professor of Sociology at the University of Chicago. Since 2008 she has led Tsogolo l…
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What returns when talent leaves? with economist Catia Batista
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45:12
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What can Africa teach us about God? with economist Paul Seabright
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56:14
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56:14
What is the difference between magic and religion – and why does it matter for economics? In this episode of the Our Long Walk podcast, Johan Fourie and Jonathan Schoots speak with Paul Seabright, Professor of Economics at the Toulouse School of Economics and one of the most original voices on how humans cooperate. For nearly two centuries economis…
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Africa, who are you? with philosopher Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò
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54:43
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What does a serious defence of modernity look like? In this episode of the Our Long Walk podcast, Johan Fourie and Jonathan Schoots speak with Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, philosopher of African political thought at Cornell University, about Táíwò argument that modernity is not a cultural label, nor a Western badge to be worn or discarded, but a set of commitme…
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Is imperial history overdue a comeback? with historian Tony Hopkins
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48:34
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In a rapidly changing world marked by trade wars, shifting alliances, and resurgent nationalism, what can history teach us about the future of globalisation? Is America’s retreat from global leadership inevitable, and what might Britain’s past decline reveal about the potential paths ahead? In the first episode of Season 2 of Our Long Walk, Jonatha…
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Where did the rain begin to beat us? with co-hosts Johan and Jonathan
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There’s an Igbo saying, quoted by Chinua Achebe, that goes like this: ‘A man who does not know where the rain began to beat him cannot say where he dried his body.’ It’s a fitting way to end Season 1 of the Our Long Walk podcast, a season shaped by the question: what can Africa’s history teach us about its present, and its possible futures? In the …
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Anet Ahern in conversation with Stephen Cranston at the launch of 'The Mavericks'.
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Anet Ahern in conversation with Stephen Cranston about his new book 'The Mavericks'. 'The Mavericks' explains how the three independent asset managers Coronation, Allan Gray and Investec (later Ninety One), dubbed the CIA, came to dominate and continue to dominate the South African asset management industry, particularly the pension fund market.Thi…
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What did Mandela leave behind? with historian Jacob Dlamini
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46:37
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What if history is not only what we are told, but also what we choose to remember? What if the stories of apartheid are not just tales of villainy and victimhood, but of complexity, contradiction and human agency? And what if loving a country – its landscapes, its memories – requires that we also confront its darkest truths? In this final interview…
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Karyn Maughan in conversation with Adriaan Basson at the launch of 'I will Not be Silenced' at Exclusive Books V&A
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“I think the fact that I’m not a lawyer makes me a far better legal journalist, because I’m trying to understand things, explain them to ordinary people in a language that they can understand.” – Karyn Maughan.Disarmingly honest and deeply personal, ‘I Will Not Be Silenced’ takes a razor-sharp look at how powerful men use attacks on individuals who…
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Can war be creative? with historian Richard Reid
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How should we understand the era before Africa’s colonisation? Was it a period of stagnation or one of profound innovation and change? Why has the ‘Scramble for Africa’ dominated historical narratives, often overshadowing Africa’s own dynamic histories? Can warfare be understood not only as destructive but also as a creative and even culturally sig…
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What if borders were never meant to last? with economist Elias Papaioannou
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55:28
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What determines opportunity in Africa? Does religion shape upward mobility? How do artificial borders, landmines, and weak states constrain economic development? And why has Africa largely resisted the global rise of populism? In this episode of the Our Long Walk podcast, Jonathan Schoots and I sit down with Elias Papaioannou, academic director of …
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Why did we stop roaming? with economist Ola Olsson
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50:22
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How far back should economic history go? Most textbooks start with agriculture, trade, and the emergence of states. But what if we looked further – beyond written records, beyond cities, beyond even the first farms? What if the deepest economic lessons come not from the past few thousand years, but from the hundreds of thousands before them? For mo…
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Can herding shape morals? with economist Nathan Nunn
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What shapes the decisions we make each day, from the seemingly trivial to the transformative? Why do trust, honour or zero-sum thinking persist in some societies but not others? How does a legacy of past events influence not just institutions but the very beliefs we carry and pass on? These questions form the heart of cultural economics, a field th…
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How to build an African city? with sociologist Benjamin Bradlow
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What makes a city thrive in the Global South? Why do some cities build stronger connections between their citizens, social movements, and governments while others remain fragmented? Can the lessons from São Paulo helpSouth Africa’s struggling urban centres? And what can a sociologist teach us about the future of African cities as urbanization accel…
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Johan Fourie discussing the economic history of South Africa at Business Ink Tank 2024
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Johan Fourie, author of 'Our Long Walk to Economic Freedom', delivered the opening keynote at The Business Ink Tank 2024. His discussion centered around the economic history of South Africa, where he focused on two questions 'Why are we poor?' and 'Why are we rich?'.This discussion was recorded at The Business Ink Tank, on 20 September 2024.…
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Bronwyn Williams discussing the trends that will affect our future at the Business Ink Tank 2024
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"The average household here [in South Africa] is 40% poorer than they were in the year 2016."Bronwyn Williams discuss the impact AI and technology will have on our future. 'The Future', written by Bronwyn Williams, Dion Chang, and Faeeza Khan, explains 80 key trends to anyone who is anxious or excited about thriving in the uncertain decade ahead. T…
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What is Africa's ideal development model? with Ewout Frankema
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What does it mean for African economies to be dynamic? How did the Mineral Revolution reshape the continent's economic trajectories? Can Africa’s internal markets be thefoundation for future prosperity? And, crucially, why should Africa chart its own development path, distinct from Asia’s? In this episode of the Our Long Walk podcast, Johan Fourie …
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Why should Washington care about Africa? with Belinda Archibong
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What does it mean to say institutions are ‘inclusive’? What impact does coercive labour have on trust in society? Can technology disrupt entrenched gender inequalities in the workplace? And, crucially, why should policymakers in Washington care about Africa? In this episode of the Our Long Walk podcast, Jonathan Schoots and Johan Fourie discuss the…
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What can economists learn from ubuntu? with 2024 Nobel Prizewinner James Robinson
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49:58
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How do historical insights inform modern governance? Can traditional institutions be as effective as modern bureaucracies in driving development? What can Africa’s diverse historical pathways teach us about building effective policies today?In this episode, Jonathan Schoots and Johan Fouriesit down with James Robinson, an economist and political sc…
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Leadership, legacies, and the politics of change with Ken Opalo
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What role do African parliaments play in shaping governance? How do historical legacies affect contemporary political systems, and why does foreign aid often fail to build stronger local institutions? Johan Fourie and Jonathan Schoots discuss these questions - and many more - with Ken Opalo, Associate Professor at Georgetown University and author o…
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Are good intentions bad? With historian Bronwen Everill
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47:54
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Why do good intentions by international aid workers often lead to unintended negative outcomes? How should African leaders grapple with the tension between embracing Western ideas without being dominated by them? Hosts Johan Fourie and Jonathan Schoots discuss these – and many more – questions in the first podcast interview with Princeton author an…
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Get to know your hosts, economic historian Johan Fourie and historical sociologist Jonathan Schoots, as they introduce Our Long Walk, a new podcastexploring the past, present, and future of South Africa and Africa. This podcast is produced with the help of Voice Note Productions. Our producer is Vasti Calitz with editing done by Andri Burnett. Kels…
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Welcome to Our Long Walk, a podcast series aboutSouth Africa’s past, present, and future. In this series, economic historian Johan Fourie and historical sociologist Jonathan Schoots interview social science scholars who ask fascinating questions about our country and continent to distil those lessons into practical policy suggestions today. Subscri…
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