more on Open Doors

The appointment of Justice Edwin Cameron as a judge of the Constitutional Court is very much to be welcomed, and is also an example of an Open Doors approach (see my last blog). Justice Cameron is eminently qualified from a legal perspective, but is also an interesting choice because of his openness about his sexuality and his HIV status – he has been living openly with HIV for some years. This means that he brings an important human rights perspective to his new role, and strengthens confidence in the Constitutional Court as an institution that is able not only to defend the Constitution but also to articulate and stimulate our emerging human rights culture in South Africa.

Beyond the implications for our Constitution, his appointment is also an expression of tolerance and an embracing of diversity in public life that sends a wider message. How many judges, or other high public officials, around the world have ever been able to declare their HIV status, let alone done so in a country where this does not hold back their promotion. We should celebrate his appointment for what it means for South Africa at the start of 2009, and hope that the ANC government in the run up to and beyond the upcoming election can continue to promote diversity, openness and transparency in its governance of the country and its tolerance of differing and even opposing opinions.

Of course, the Open Doors scenario is about much more then political tolerance. It is the Shell scenario that appears to offer the best prospects for enhanced economic growth over the next 15 years. As such, it is useful to think about it as a template for democracy and development, whilst also engaging critically with the insights we gain from the Open Doors perspective in addressing South Africa’s challenges.

We tend to take for granted the idea that economic growth needs to be pursued almost at any cost. We know, from what happened with the power crisis last year, that a growing economy needs to be fuelled with oil, water and electricity, so we immediately need to think about how we create a sustainable growing economy – one that addresses both the demand and supply side of the economic equation. The Open Doors scenario is the one that places the greatest demand on oil reserves as rapid economic growth, particularly in the developing world, means that millions more people buy cars and seek middle class lifestyles.

In consequence, if we seek to create the open and accountable society envisaged in the Open Doors scenario, we need also to focus on issues of sustainability and think creatively about strategies to address energy needs. And the issue of poverty, and the associated consequences, risks falling from the agenda. I will share further thoughts in future posts. Meanwhile, a happy new year!

Networks – what’s it all about?

My LinkedIn profile shows that I am “connected” to 46 other people. These 46 can connect me with around another 3,600 people, and through them I can connect with 599,400 others (i.e. with 2 introductions). This is a potentially incredibly valuable network – even the 3,000 who are only one introduction away. Some people in my network are connected directly with over 500 others, so the size of their wider networks must be immensely huge!

And yet I don’t know what to do to mobilise this potential! Through LinkedIn I have made a good connection with one other person that I did not already know – Reut Schwartz-Hebron (you can find a link to her KindExcellence blog on the left). I hope that Reut and I will be collaborating on a couple of writing projects together. But what about the other 599,999 people? We all have such incredible networks, if only we can find ways of really connecting with each other. Ideas welcome!

I wrote my last exam this morning for my MSc studies in Public Policy and Management through London University. These studies have been a good, if solitary, learning experience for me, and have given me deep insights into public management theories. Part of the value of the programme has been its comparative nature, and I have had the opportunity to read case studies from all over the world. A particular focus of the programme has been on theories of New Public Management, and an exploration of the tensions between rational, linear processes and more chaotic, ‘garbage can’ processes that need more flexible, iterative thinking. The importance of learning processes for public agencies has also been highlighted.

It appears that our new cabinet is receiving some luke-warm and tentative support, which is good news. Barbara Hogan is the new Minister of Health and her appointment has been widely applauded. It is good news that she has now said that she is making HIV and AIDS her top priority (and what an indictment that this is finally happening only late in 2008).