Rika Preiser

Associate Professor at Centre for Sustainability Transitions, Stellenbosch University

Rika Preiser is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST) at Stellenbosch University in South Africa.1 2 She holds several key positions and has made significant contributions to her field:

Academic Background and Expertise

Rika Preiser has an interdisciplinary academic background, holding Master's degrees in Journalism (2004) and Social Anthropology (2008), as well as a PhD in Philosophy (2012) from Stellenbosch University.2 3 Her research focuses on:

Complex adaptive systems
Social-ecological systems and resilience
Continental philosophy
Environmental humanities
Re-imagining the Anthropocene
Participatory Action research methods

Current Roles and Responsibilities

UNESCO Chair:: Preiser is the co-chair holder of the UNESCO Chair in Complexity and Transformative African Futures based at the CST.2

Research Focus:: Her work traverses engaged philosophy, Complex Adaptive Systems science, social-ecological research, environmental philosophy, and ethics.2 She explores how the study of Complex Adaptive Systems can inform novel ways of thinking about social-ecological transformation processes toward resilient Anthropocene futures.3

Teaching:: Preiser teaches complex adaptive systems thinking to students from various fields, including medicine, business management, sustainability studies, and agricultural sciences.3

Collaborations and Impact

Preiser actively collaborates with decision-makers, communities, NGOs, and parastatal organizations, conducting project-based and solution-driven sustainability research in Southern Africa.2 She supervises students who employ Participatory Action Research methods to engage with real-world social-ecological problems.2 3

Research Contributions

Preiser has made significant contributions to her field, with numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals. Her work often focuses on:

Conceptual development of complexity theory
Exploring the implications of complexity for social-ecological systems
Developing frameworks for understanding resilience in essential services
Using futures methods to create transformative spaces for sustainable futures

Through her research and leadership roles, Rika Preiser is working to advance understanding of complex systems and their application to sustainability challenges, particularly in the African context.