Posts from 2023

Sean Jacobs: Countering the Narrative With Africa Is A Country

by Chris McGivern, 11 January 2023

Launched in 2009, Africa Is A Country (AIAC) quickly built a reputation for challenging conventional Western wisdom about Africa and its people. It asked interesting questions and proposed new ideas. It brimmed with righteous anger tempered by hope, compassion, and humour. Writers, artists, bloggers and scholars - many lacking the opportunity or journalistic lexicon required to publish their work - were invited to share their thinking, experiences, and visions of the future. Over the next...

Andrew Lamb & Massive Small Manufacturing: Ending Death By Logistics

by Chris McGivern, 11 January 2023

Massive Small Manufacturing is so vast in scope and complexity that we knew its ambitions would never come to fruition over the duration of his Fellowship. But that is the nature of big ideas and systems innovation in social change. This is why we invest in people, not projects. The real impact and value of our immediate support will only be realised many years later. “I have spent a lot of time applying for various...

Andrew Rens - Open Lawyering for Change

by Chris McGivern, 10 January 2023

He still works closely with the Foundation today as a close friend and ally, acts as our legal counsel, and his work with us over the years has laid the legal foundations underpinning all of our Fellows’ achievements. Throughout this period, Andrew has witnessed the many incremental changes within the Foundation as we have refined the programme and explored new fields, and his journey is intrinsically linked with our own. This is Andrew’s story and...

Adam Hyde: The Art of Hacking Publishing

by Chris McGivern, 9 January 2023

He has made a tremendous amount of progress and created his own, unique space as an innovator in the academic publishing world - and beyond - while also making a valuable contribution as an engaged and committed Shuttleworth Fellow. As Adam takes his ideas further into the world, he finds himself - and his projects - in good shape. This is his story… Adam Hyde: Background & Inspiration Adam fell into the publishing world almost...