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Richard Meissner

Associate Professor, University of South Africa
Richard Meissner is an Associate Professor in International Politics at the University of South Africa (UNISA) teaching foreign policy analysis and peace, safety and security focusing on various topics such as civil and international conflict, democracy, ideology, party politics, environmental politics and a range of other issues related to International Relations and Political Science. His graduate studies were in both Political Studies and Philosophy at the universities of Johannesburg and Pretoria. He specialises in the analysis of international politics, political issues, and water governance related to but not limited to the complexities and interactions between and among non-state actors, international organisations, local governments, and other state organs. Prior to joining UNISA, he worked as a Senior Researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) researching water governance and politics.

He has published widely on these and other subjects with numerous publications to his name. These include peer-reviewed journal articles, books, book chapters, popular articles, technical reports as well as co-authored articles and book chapters. He has also presented papers at numerous local and international conferences, seminars, and workshops.

He holds a DPhil in International Politics from the University of Pretoria.

Ideology matters in unravelling Russia's invasion of Ukraine

May 23, 2022 13:54 pm UTC| Insights & Views

In explaining the war on Ukraine, ideology matters as much as interests. This means that we need to factor ideology into our analysis if we want to gain a deeper understanding of interstate violent conflict. If we focus...

Green policies are in place for South Africa's major port city: but a key piece is missing

Apr 23, 2022 08:09 am UTC| Politics

The floods of April 2022 in the South African city of Durban (eThekwini municipality) placed the spotlight on the management of urban areas and their vulnerability to natural disasters. That homes had been built close to...

Economy

The yen plunges to 34-year low despite interest rate hike

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years on March 19, bringing an era of negative interest rates to an end. The key rate was hiked from 0.1% to a band from zero to 0.1% a token effort...

The idea that US interest rates will stay higher for longer is probably wrong

The 0.4% rise in US consumer prices in March didnt look like headline news. It was the same as the February increase, and the year-on-year rise of 3.5% is still sharply down from 5% a year ago. All the same, this modest...

Impact of Iran-Israel conflict on Stocks, Gold and Bitcoin

Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. The information provided is for general purposes only. No information, materials, services and other content provided on this page constitute a solicitation, recommendation,...

Japan Posts 7.7% Growth in Machinery Orders

In a striking development that looks set to invigorate Japans economic prospects, a key gauge of capital spending in the country has seen its most significant jump in over a year. According to Cabinet Office data released...

Why Africa can be the beating heart of South Korea’s technology industry

Tshepo Ncube, Head: International Coverage and Bhavtik Vallabhjee, Head: Power, Utilities Infrastructure at Absa CIB reflect on their recent visit to South Korea, examining why investors in the region have their eyes set...

Politics

US Commerce Secretary Asserts Huawei Chip Lag, Affirms Export Control Success

In an interview on CBS News 60 Minutes, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stated that the latest Huawei Mate 60 Pro phones chip remains significantly behind U.S. technology despite being the most advanced from China. She...

The Alberta government is interfering in public sector bargaining on an unprecedented scale

In the coming months, over 200,000 public sector workers in Alberta will begin bargaining with their employers for new contracts. The most recent agreements expired in March and, after many years of high inflation and few...

Putin’s Russia: first arrests under new anti-LGBT laws mark new era of repression

Just over three decades after Russia decriminalised homosexuality in 1993, three people have been arrested and charged under the countrys harsh new anti-LGBT laws and could face ten years in prison for membership of an...

Nvidia RTX 4090D Embroiled in US-China Tech Rivalry; South Korea Navigates Chip Export Dilemma

The U.S. government has tightened export restrictions on high-performance semiconductor chips to China, including the Nvidia RTX 4090D, and is urging South Korea to enforce similar curbs, marking a significant escalation...

Canada needs a national strategy for homeless refugee claimants

One year after the federal government closed Roxham Road, refugee claims in Canada continue to increase: there were 143,785 in 2023 compared to 91,730 in 2022. The surprise announcement in March 2023 to modify Canadas...

Science

Peter Higgs was one of the greats of particle physics. He transformed what we know about the building blocks of the universe

Peter Higgs, who gave his name to the subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson, has died aged 94. He was always a modest man, especially when considering that he was one of the greats of particle physics the area of...

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST for short, is one of the most advanced telescopes ever built. Planning for JWST began over 25 years ago, and construction efforts spanned over a decade. It was launched into space on...

US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names

When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news...

If life exists on Jupiter’s moon Europa, scientists might soon be able to detect it

Europa is one of the largest of more than 90 moons in orbit around the planet Jupiter. It is also one of the best places to look for alien life. Often termed an ocean world by scientists, observations to date strongly...

Exploding stars are rare but emit torrents of radiation − if one happened close enough to Earth, it could threaten life on the planet

Stars like the Sun are remarkably constant. They vary in brightness by only 0.1% over years and decades, thanks to the fusion of hydrogen into helium that powers them. This process will keep the Sun shining steadily for...

Technology

Critical Update: Samsung Expands Network Band Support in Europe – Update Now for Uninterrupted Access

This week, Samsung has launched a vital software update across European markets, targeting various devices, including the Galaxy S24 and Z Flip 5. This update is critical for maintaining network connectivity and accessing...

Shiba Inu's Burn Rate Surges 2200%, Fuels Bullish Sentiment and Speculation on Future Price Gains

Shiba Inu (SHIB), a well-known meme coin rumored to be the self-proclaimed Dogecoin killer, sparked unbridled jubilation among crypto market traders and investors today, as its burn rate increased by around 2200%. This...

Robinhood Unveils SHIB, AVAX, and COMP Listings for New York Traders, Expanding Crypto Access

Robinhood has expanded its cryptocurrency offerings to New York residents, now including popular tokens like Shiba Inu (SHIB), Avalanche (AVAX), and Compound (COMP), enhancing trading options on its platform. Robinhood...

Hong Kong's First Bitcoin and Ether ETFs Set to Begin Trading April 30, Official Approval Granted

Hong Kongs Securities and Futures Commission has officially approved the first spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs, which will begin trading on April 30. This marks a significant milestone in the citys cryptocurrency market...

Tesla Nears FSD Licensing Deal with Major Automaker, Hits 1.3 Billion Milestone

In Teslas latest quarterly update, CEO Elon Musk disclosed ongoing Full Self-Driving (FSD) licensing negotiations with a major automaker, noting the significant engagement from FSD users who have now surpassed 1.3 billion...