One of the underrated benefits of being an academic, is that you get to explore. New questions, new places, with new people. So when I decided to design a personal website that included a new home for my columns and blog (now 8 years old), I decided that I wanted to do something slightly different. I wanted it to reflect the excitement of exploration.
Now, after almost a year in development, I am happy to launch johanfourie.com. It is nothing more than a collection of my writing and an ode to my students, following the same framework as most other academic websites – Research, Teaching, Blog – but, of course, with a slight twist. There are several new things. The Finweek columns I've written are now available in the original PDF version. My Afrikaans columns for Rapport are also available. I've also recently started writing a column for Landbouweekblad, which will be added. And the new site now allows me to display all my past blog posts more conveniently, and make them more easily searchable.
I hope that the new website reflects something about the wonder of my world. I get to work on fascinating questions with amazing people. My research focus is increasingly interdisciplinary, merging the fields of Economics, History and several other social sciences. I find that rewarding and rejuvenating, and wanted the website to reflect that. But I also wanted the website to reflect what I appreciate most of my job: that I enjoy what I do, and that I have the freedom to do it. With the help of an incredibly talented team*, I think we've managed to create something that is both professional and playful. One of the most important things in life (as Helanya reminds me often) is not to take yourself too seriously.
Enjoy exploring!
*Little of this would have been possible without the wonderful team of Nudge Studio – Mike and Stefni Cruywagen. They are not only wonderfully creative but also just super nice people. Marli Fourie (no relation, but with a Masters degree in Visual Art and a former Think Tanker!) was responsible for the sketches. Thanks Marli for the many iterations!