Thrive — Flourishing in a changing world
- Lynn Morris
Welcome to the 20th edition of CURIOS.TY. This milestone reflects how far the magazine has come since its launch 10 years ago.
Over time, CURIOS.TY has grown in format, depth and reach. It has explored themes such as Cities, Gender, Energy, and Disruption, and has helped make Wits’ research accessible to a wide audience.
The growth in readership is encouraging. In the past four years, engagement with CURIOS.TY online has quadrupled to almost 50 000 page views, with 77% of readers exploring multiple pages. We also print 20 000 paper copies that are distributed locally and available to travellers at South Africa’s major airports. Our audience now spans South Africa and includes readers in the USA, the Netherlands, Ireland, the UK, China, Australia, Canada, Germany, Singapore, India, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, Kenya and France. This international reach speaks to the relevance of our research and the interest in scholarship coming from the Global South.
This 20th edition examines what it means to thrive at various stages of life and in different social and environmental contexts. Our first feature shares research and strategies to thrive, whether you are an expectant mum, parenting toddlers or teens, navigating higher education or your first job, raising a family, or settling into your senior years.
Wits researchers show that thriving begins early. Maternal health, nutrition and commercial determinants shape a child’s long-term development and wellbeing. Supporting mothers and young children is both good public health practice and a foundation for a more caring society.
Adolescence brings another set of challenges. Initiatives such as AfriCAT, which uses digital tools to strengthen youth mental-health data, illustrate how innovation can improve support for young people during a critical phase of their lives.
Thriving also depends on the systems around us. In our second feature, Wits economists and governance experts examine how African countries can build more self-reliant and inclusive economies through local innovation, philanthropy and trade. Their work highlights the conditions needed for societies to move from coping to long-term stability.
Environmental research reminds us that human wellbeing is closely linked to the health of the natural world. Studies on soil nutrients, biodiversity and genetic resilience help us understand which species may endure in a changing climate. The nexus of nature, climate change and people reminds us that healthy ecosystems are essential for flourishing, thriving communities.
Cities form another part of this picture. Wits researchers examine how housing, infrastructure, transport and public spaces shape daily life. Their work shows how well-designed cities can support dignity, safety and social connection.
The theme of this edition also prompts reflection on the role of universities and how teachers and students can thrive. Throughout history, universities have survived wars, political transitions and social upheaval because societies rely on places where knowledge is created, questioned and shared openly.
Today, academic freedom and institutional autonomy face pressure in several parts of the world, including attempts to limit what can be taught or researched. Protecting strong, independent universities is essential if future generations are to learn, innovate and contribute to a more resilient society.
The Thrive edition explores the factors that help people and societies flourish in a changing world. Twenty editions on, CURIOS.TY continues to lead the way in sharing research that informs and inspires that progress.
- Professor Lynn Morris is Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at Wits University.
- This article first appeared in?CURIOS.TY,?a research magazine produced by?Wits Communications?and the?Research Office.
- Read more in the 20thissue, themed #Thrive, which explores what it truly means to flourish — across a lifespan, within communities, and on and with our planet.