Writing
Since I was a teenager, writing has been my primary pursuit, and passion. I have published and edited books, novels, stories and essays, in French and English, as well as exhibitions, a short film, and a large number of structured blog series. This page offers an introduction to most of my work, in three main sections: published books and essays, LGBTIQ+ writing, and blog series.
Formally, I’ve been exploring mainly fragments and series, inspired by the work of French moralists, Romantic Lieder-cycles, and other polyphonic experiments. I like to think of my writing as akin to a landscaped garden, inviting the reader to repeat promenades: not to come in touch with any final truth, but explore their relationship to the world, loosen rigid certainties, and reconnect with a certain mental flow.
In terms of topics, I write ‘about’ innovation, technology, China, culture, city life, ethics, governance, and spirituality – occasionally with a queer angle. The main underlying themes, however – the pulsing heart of my interest – cluster around collective action, the fine-grain exploration of cultural diversity, and our human capacity for transformation.
Non-fiction Books & Essays
On change
The more we recognise that things have complex genealogies, the more we can imagine different futures. On Change: Twelve Meditations is a collection of philosophical fragments, taking a personal lens to reflect on large-scale societal transformation. The book invites readers on an introspective journey through life in the 2020s, as external shifts meet internal confusion in the lingering aftermath of the pandemic. Each section offers a series of vignettes that weave together intellectual commentary with personal memories of the late 20th century. Buy it here!
Beyond Butterflies
Innovation happens in liminal spaces. Beyond Butterflies: Designing the Future Through Ecotonal Innovation draws on the wisdom of nature by exploring the ecotone—that rich in-between space where ecosystems meet and overlap. From individual career paths and organizational design to start-up incubators, this booklet turns to foxes, gels and lichens (and others) as ecotonal guides to broaden our perception of how the world actually works, and redesign our professional lives in times of uncertainty. Buy it here!
Foundations of Systems sensing
Navigating complexity is an elusive art form. Foundations of Systems Sensing: An Exploratory Guide to the Sensing Journey Method demystifies one core practice embraced by people working in and with complexity: the Sensing Journey method. It presents 20 case stories, each with details on the setup, application, and benefits, as well as tips for trying it on your own. I co-edited the book and contributed a case study on landscape your life: how to sense present potentials to shape emerging futures. Buy it here!
Chinese Statecraft in a Changing World
There is no progress on global issues without involving China. Chinese statecraft in a changing world: Demystifying Enduring Traditions and Dynamic Constraints ambitions to provide an accessible yet accurate introduction to the exercise of power in contemporary China, anchored in an understanding of the long tradition. I worked closely with author Jean Dong as development editor from 2021 to 2023 to shape this monograph. Buy it here! or read the introduction chapter China through the looking glass.
Who Should Die, and What Should we do With the Bodies? is an essay in fragments published in the Autumn 2023 edition of Australian literary review Meanjin.
From the Midfield is an essay in fragments published in the Spring 2024 edition of Australian literary review Meanjin.
How Things Happens is a five-part essay series I cowrote with Patrick Laudon, published in The Change Management Review in 2025
Solarpunk Is Growing a Gorgeous New World in the Cracks of the Old One is a short piece I co-wrote with Corin Ism for Singularity Hub.
LGBTIQ+ Writing & Film
Love Journeys
Love Journeys documents the stories of same-sex migrants to Australia through texts and photographs. It was featured at the Melbourne Midsumma Festival and Adelaide Feast Festival 2011.
Honeypot
A comic take on beats, police persecutions, and racism in the gay world, I wrote and directed this short film where two men dance tango in a public toilet. The film got a prize in Mumbai, and over 4 million views online.
Mehmet et Philippe
My first published novel (in French) is an intercultural queer teen romance set in regional France, inspired by the works of Marivaux. Where a theatre kid of Turkish background twirls into the life of a closeted local.
Regardez moi dans les yeux
In 2006, I gathered a small group of friends to produce the first French language short story collection offering positive models for LGBTIQ teenagers.
Blog series
Moral reflections
This is the running handle on my blog, gathering general views and observations offering a promenade through our contemporary world.
Professional musings
A series of personal posts, sharing the work that I do and the way I engage with it. A great resource for all shapeshifters.
Stoic Virtues (2025)
A return to wisdom, moderation, justice and courage – this time with a stoic lens. I also share this on my Substack Moral Fragments.
Biomimicry
Written with Future Value advisor Michaela Emch, this series offers original lenses on power and innovation, informed by the wisdom of nature.
Confucian Virtues
In 2018, with my friend Patrick Laudon, I practiced and wrote about the five Confucian virtues – 仁，义，礼，智， 信 – to connect classical philology to practice.
Buddhist Virtues
In 2018, I explored the Buddhist Tradition of the four Brahmavihara or ‘sublime attitudes’ – Metta, Mudita, Karuna, UppekhaI – and their associated meditation practices.
Cardinal Virtues (2017)
In 2017, I spent the year exploring and cultivating the four cardinal virtues – Prudence, Temperance, Justice and Fortitude – and wrote a weekly post to share my progress and insights.
The Seven Deadly Sins
After a year with virtues, I took a seven week reflective pause to focus instead on the Catholic list of seven deadly sins – or seven forms of improper attachment to the world.
What is learning?
My early professional life unfolded in universities, teaching languages and linguistics. Pedagogy is core to my practice. This series shares reflections on learning and language learning.
Exploring values
In 2019, I got online weekly with my ‘virtue-buddy’ Patrick Laudon. Each session, we pulled a card from a pack of ‘values card’, and held an improvised conversation on the topic.
Corona Thoughts
While working from home through the long Melbourne lockdowns, I wrote a series of pieces reflecting on the pandemic, and our reaction to it.
Across languages and cultures
I’m a European polyglot living in Australia, with experience around the world. This series reflects on my exploration of intercultural spaces, and what happens in them.
Marco Polo Project
In 2011, I founded a small charity to work on intercultural understanding and engagement with China. This series shares Insights from this experience.
Creative projects
From translation hackathons to festivals, film, blog series and exhibitions, I’ve coordinated, produced and participated in a broad range of creative projects. This series shares memories and key learnings.
Looking back at my 35 year old self
In 2013, I spent a term of studies in Nanjing. This was a transformative experience, and a chance to reflect on my migration journey to Australia.
Fictions
Although non-fiction is my primary mode of writing, I occasionally turned to fiction, for pleasure or as a way to make sense of my experience. I share some of those texts here.
The Fake China
In summer 2011, I taught French at Tianjin Normal University. Staying in a large East coast city with strong European influences, I often heard people tell me that I should head inland in order to discover ‘the real China’. Instead, I chose to try and understand Tianjin as a meeting ground for East and West, and celebrate its artificiality.
Australian Aesthetics
I migrated to Melbourne from Paris in 2008. A crucial step in my migration journey was to develop a sense of appreciation for the sights offered by Australian cities – experience Australian beauty. This blog is an attempt at capturing the shape of Australian urban landscape, through text and photographs.
Les Portes de l’Orient
In 2008, I migrated to Melbourne with my partner. Instead of teleporting ourselves at the other end of the world, we chose a slower route, and took a three month overland journey from Paris to Singapore. This blog documents the trip, as a deliberate effort at personal transformation.
Living in China
I had two periods of life in China - in July-August 2011, and again in August-December 2013. Happening at a time of boom and opening for the country, both were transformative for me. Beside The Fake China, those posts share some of my personal experiences, enthusiasms and frustrations.