Nhakanomics: Harvesting Knowledge and Value for Re-generation Through Social Innovation
By Ronnie Lessem, Munyaradzi Mawere, Daud Taranhike
Nhakanomics: Harvesting Knowledge and Value for Re-generation Through Social Innovation is a radical departure from the commonly held belief that neo-liberal economics from the US and the West is universal, and is the only solution to underdevelopment and poverty throughout the world. Instead, the book teases out and theorises the intellectually rutted terrain of development studies, and neo-liberal economics from a decolonial Pan-Africanist perspective. Following a path of social innovation, with perspectives drawn from social anthropology, economics, and business and management studies Nhakanomics is a unique socio-economic approach applicable in the Global South and in Southern Africa in particular. The study argues that the process and substance of nhakanomics with its pre-emphasis on the relational South provides a robust and holistic approach to social innovation and social transformation grounded in relational networks and ‘meshworks’. The central idea is a call to re-GENE-rate society, through local Grounding and Origination, and tapping into local-global Emergent Foundations via a newly global Emancipatory Navigation, while ultimately culminating in global-local transformative Effects in four recursive cycles of re-GENE-rating C(K)umusha, Culture, Communication, and Capital after re-Constituting Africa-the 5Cs. With a novel and radical approach the book is an interrogation of neo-liberal economics in the Global South. As such, this book is remarkably handy to students and practitioners in the fields of economics, development studies, political science, science and technology studies, business management, sociology, transformation studies, and development related non-Governmental Organisations working with grassroots communities.
Nhakanomics is anchored on the African social cultural way of life grounded within nature and the community, drawing on the African culture and spirituality, through an African team approach called “Nhimbe’ building social capital and creating knowledge, leading to creating sustainable livelihoods among the local people.
Professor Ronnie Samanyanga Lessem is Co-founder of Trans4m, and the integral worlds approach to research and development, economics and enterprise.
Professor Munyaradzi Mawere is a Research Chair and Professor in the Simon Muzenda School of Arts, Culture and Heritage Studies at the Great Zimbabwe University.
Daud Taranhike is a Da Vinci/ Trans4m PhD candidate with Master’s degrees in International Business Management (University of Cumbria, UK) and leading innovation and change an MSc in Training, as well as Master’s degree in Business Administration. As part of his PhD research-to-innovation journey, Daud/Shumba is working with his community and the nearby schools to develop the area as a way of building and preserving Nhaka for future generations.
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