People & Partners

Prof. Rika Preiser

Associate Professor, UNESCO Chair

Prof Rika Preiser is the co-chair holder of the UNESCO Chair in Complexity and Transformative African Futures based at the CST. Her research focus traverses engaged philosophy, Complex Adaptive Systems science, social-ecological research, environmental philosophy, and ethics. Her primary focus is understanding and unraveling the complexities surrounding human-nature relations and driving positive change towards sustainability.

In her role as co-chair, Rika facilitates initiatives that explore the transformative potential of African futures through the lens of complexity science. Her interdisciplinary approach allows her to synthesize insights from various fields, offering unique perspectives on the challenges and opportunities that lie at the intersection of humanity and the environment. She actively collaborates with decision-makers, communities, NGOs, and parastatal organisations, conducting project-based and solution-driven sustainability research in Southern Africa. Rika supervises students who are keen to experiment and employ Participatory Action Research methods as ways to engage with and shape social-ecological real-world problems.

Rika holds Masters’ degrees in Journalism (2004) and Social Anthropology (2008). In 2012, she completed her PhD entitled, The Problem of Complexity: Rediscovering the role of Critique, at the Department of Philosophy at Stellenbosch University.

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