DaVinci Business School proudly announces the launch of the book Integral Research and Societal Regeneration in Africa, authored by renowned DaVinci scholars and thought leaders Professor Ronnie Lessem, Prof Anselm Adodo, and Professor Alexander Schieffer. This groundbreaking book, published on 15 October 2024, offers a visionary roadmap for transforming Africa’s social innovation landscape, weaving together Africa’s rich cultural heritage, participatory research methodologies, and authentic storytelling.
Unveiled at the Inaugural Societal Regenerative Conference
The launch of this influential work coincided with the Inaugural Societal Regenerative Conference, held at DaVinci Business School from 21–22 October 2024.
Under the theme "Societal Healing and Societal Regeneration," the conference, led by DaVinci Professor Ronnie Lessem, provided the ideal platform to introduce this essential resource. The event brought together global leaders, innovators, and changemakers to discuss and co-create solutions to promote integral healing, focusing on the Global South.
As Professor Lessem eloquently put it during the conference, “This is not just a book—it is a call to action for anyone who seeks to play a role in Africa's regenerative future.”
What Can You Expect from the Book?
Across five engaging parts, the authors explore key concepts designed to reshape Africa’s future:
Communitalism: A revolutionary alternative to capitalism that prioritizes communal values and collective well-being over individualism.
Communiversity: A transformative learning framework that integrates communities into the academic sphere for impactful social innovation.
African Phenomenology: A localized approach to research that challenges traditional Western perspectives and centres the African experience.
Critical Realism: An empirical philosophy transcending positivism, offering a richer understanding of African socio-political contexts.
These concepts, grounded in African philosophy and participatory action research, provide valuable tools for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners committed to driving Africa’s future toward a more equitable and sustainable path.
A Call for Change
The authors—Professor Ronnie Lessem, a pioneer in integral development; Prof Anselm Adodo, a holistic medicine advocate and DaVinci doctoral alumnus; and Professor Alexander Schieffer, a social innovator and DaVinci faculty member—have long been at the forefront of societal regeneration. Their contributions through this book offer new paradigms for understanding and addressing Africa’s social and economic challenges.
This work is an essential resource for anyone interested in contributing to Africa’s future. Researchers, scholars, policymakers, and students will find profound insights that provoke thought and encourage action.
Continuing the Dialogue
While the book Integral Research and Societal Regeneration in Africa was a focal point at the conference, the conversations and ideas generated there continue to resonate. As the conference concluded, delegates were encouraged to reflect on these frameworks' practical application and actively contribute to societal healing and regeneration.
The book of abstracts from the conference is now available to all participants, and a full compilation of the presented papers will be published in the coming months, allowing these rich discussions to further impact change across Africa and beyond.
DaVinci Business School remains committed to fostering innovative ecosystems and sustainable, transformational societies, and this book is a pivotal tool in shaping Africa's regenerative future.
About the Book
In this groundbreaking work, the concept of "Communiversity" takes centre stage—an innovative space where communities come together to learn, grow, and tackle the pressing challenges of our time. This book reimagines research by moving beyond traditional methods to embrace a localized, African-centered perspective.
Through an exploration of phenomenology, cooperative inquiry, hermeneutics, epistemology, Afrikology, and the case stories approach, the book weaves together theory and real-world examples, offering a holistic framework for social innovation. By bridging Western and African intellectual traditions, it emphasises key concepts like ubuntu, feminism, participatory action research, and critical realism, creating a more inclusive understanding of knowledge production. One of the unique features of this book is its case stories approach, which brings research to life by grounding complex theories in real African contexts.
These stories provide powerful insights into how communities apply these methodologies to solve local problems and drive meaningful change. Ideal for scholars, researchers, policymakers, and development practitioners, this book offers fresh, actionable frameworks for advancing social innovation in Africa. Whether focused on African studies, social justice, or community development, this essential resource will inspire and empower you to transform research into action.