Shawn Hagedorn
For 20 years, Shawn Hagedorn has been regularly writing articles in leading SA publications, focusing primarily on economic development. For over two years, he wrote a biweekly column titled “Myths and Misunderstandings” without ever lacking subject material. Visit shawn-hagedorn.com/, and follow him on Twitter @shawnhagedorn
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Articles By This Author
Purging politically induced learning blockages
The Covid pandemic freshly queried how we define ‘freedom’ and ‘to live’. Meanwhile, political actors sought to shape and exploit such views. A year ago
How the ANC’s playbook resembles Donald Trump’s
The ANC’s policies, and antics, are so frequently counterproductive that its opponents confidently presume they can do better. Yet, as its rivals lack plans to
Why does Africa continue to underperform?
Now is the time, and South Africa the place, to understand why Africa has been such an economic laggard. Scars remain from nearly all of
The next twist in SA’s social justice saga
Is social justice to economic development what physics is to engineering? No. Social justice mixes ethics with believing in a false utopia. Economic development, like
The US and the West … China and Africa
Given today’s fluxing geopolitics and economics, the value of criticising Western policies must be balanced with better appreciating their benefits. For professors of cultural studies
Will Putin cancel ‘cancel culture’?
Stopping the fighting might soon be in everyone’s interest but there are conflicting priorities. Those who delight in criticising necessary-but-imperfect trade-offs will baulk at advancing
SA lessons for Putin’s enemies
Vladimir Putin is more a symptom than a cause. Russia and South Africa were both reconstituted in the twilight of the Cold War and, like
Scoring post-colonial outcomes
As the Second World War marked the beginning of the colonial era’s demise, the Russia-Ukraine war is a pivot point that should inspire a fresh
Confronting misplaced ideals
Many Europeans will struggle to heat their homes and pay their bills this winter. South Africa’s trajectory is more troubling still. The costs of clinging
Dutch Disease … South African Syndrome
Sudden geological wealth threatening investments in worker productivity is termed Dutch disease. Does our entrenched youth unemployment crisis stem from a sudden and unexpected spate