R. W. Johnson

R. W. Johnson (born 1943) is a British journalist, political scientist, and historian who lives in South Africa.[1] Born in England, he was educated at Natal University and Oxford University, as a Rhodes Scholar. He was a fellow in politics at Magdalen College, Oxford, for twenty-six years;[2] he remains an emeritus fellow. His 2015 book Look Back in Laughter: Oxford's Postwar Golden Age is a memoir of his years at Magdalen, including his work with college president Keith Griffin to rescue the College's finances and buildings.[3] In reviewing his memoirs, The Economist described Johnson as a "romantic contrarian liberal".[4]

This article is about the South African political scientist. For the co-founder of Johnson and Johnson and his descendants, see Robert Wood Johnson.
R.W. Johnson speaking at the 10th Barry Streek Memorial lecture in Cape Town, South Africa in August 2016.

On his return to South Africa in 1995, he became director of the Helen Suzman Foundation in Johannesburg until 2001.[5]

He is currently a South Africa correspondent for the London Sunday Times and also writes for the London Review of Books[6] His articles for the LRB generally cover South African and, to a lesser extent, Zimbabwean affairs.

In early March 2009, Johnson injured his left foot while swimming, it became infected with necrotizing fasciitis[7] and his leg was amputated above the knee.[8]

Bibliography
  • (ed. with Christopher Allen) African Perspectives (1970)
  • How Long Will South Africa Survive? (1977)
  • The Long March of the French Left (1981)
  • Shootdown: The Verdict on KAL 007 (1985)
  • Heroes and Villains: Selected Essays (1990)
  • (ed. with Lawrence Schlemmer) Launching Democracy in South Africa: South Africa's First Open Election, April 1994 (1996)
  • (ed. with David Welsh) Ironic Victory: Liberalism in Post-Liberation South Africa (1998)
  • South Africa; The First Man, the Last Nation (2004)
  • South Africa's Brave New World: The Beloved Country since the End of Apartheid (2009)
  • How Long Will South Africa Survive?: The Looming Crisis (2015)
  • Look Back in Laughter: Oxford's Postwar Golden Age (2015)

References
  1. The Guardian contributor profile.
  2. Ivan Fallon "'South Africa's Brave New World', By R. W. Johnson", The Independent, 17 April 2009
  3. R W Johnson: Look Back in Laughter: Oxford's Postwar Golden Age, Threshold Press (2015).
  4. "Romantic contrarian". The Economist. Retrieved 2017-11-14.
  5. Orion Archived 2009-01-06 at the Wayback Machine author profile.
  6. London Review of Books contributor page.
  7. R. W. Johnson "Diary", London Review of Books, 6 August 2009, p41
  8. "RW Johnson Loses Part of Leg After Lagoon Swim", Book SA - News, 23 March 2009
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