Background:

I am currently a PhD candidate in Sustainability Science at the Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS) in Sweden.  My research focuses on the political economy of water and cross-scalar interactions influence inequitable water allocations.  The geographical research focus of my work is southern African water politics.  I was born and raised in South Africa and am passionate about working in and with developing countries.  I have 10 years working experience across southern and eastern Africa, Asia, Europe and north America.  In the past, my work has focused on water governance, environmental assessment and policy, HIV/AIDS and the environment and sustainability but being a generalist at heart, I am most interested trying to understand the big picture of how people and planetary dynamics come together and the complexity of these interactions.

Research:

My research focus for my PhD is on the political economy of water and how cross-scalar interactions influence inequitable water allocations.  My geographical research focus is southern African water politics.   Although my research is centered on the water sector, I see water as a lens to look at natural resource governance.  I am particularly interested in how natural resource use and management is driven by political, economic and social choices both locally and globally and the responses to these choices in the environment and society.

My academic background is as follows:

• Master of Science (Development Studies Institute) 
  The London School of Economics and Political Sciences 2008
   
• Master of Science (School of Geography and Environmental Science)
  University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2006
   
• Bachelor of Science (Hons) (cum laude) – Environmental Management)
  University of Natal, Durban 1998
   
• B. Sc.  (Majors: Geography, Environmental Science & Geology) (cum laude)
  University of  Natal, Durban 1997

Papers and Publications:

Journal articles:

• Muller, EA; Pretorius, R; Ramasar, V; Patrick, MJ; Will, C and Binedell, M. (2006). Reporting on the State of the Environment: South African Experiences. Journal of Environmental Assessment, Policy and Management 8 (2) 111-134.
• Ramasar, V.  and Colvin, M. (2008 in prep). Integrating HIV/AIDS impacts in the environmental impact assessment process.  Draft paper submitted to the Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal Journal.

Book chapters:

• Ramasar V. & Partick M. (2007) Scenarios – Alternative futures? In: CSIR (2007) Enhancing the effectiveness of SEA in South Africa, CSIR Publication, South Africa
• Ramasar V. & Erskine S. (2002) HIV/AIDS: Africa’s Development Crisis?
  In: Baijnath H. &Singh Y. (eds) Rebirth of Science in Africa: A shared visions for life and environmental sciences, Umdaus Press, Hatfield, South Africa
• Aston P. & Ramasar V. (2002) Water and HIV/AIDS: Some Strategic Considerations In: Turton A. & Henwood R. (eds) Hydropolitics in the developing world: A South African Perspective, p. 217 235. African Water Issues Research Unit, Pretoria

Books:

• Ramasar V and Mashiri M. (2004) A Literature Review of HIV/AIDS and the Transport Sector in South Africa: A Focus on Community Responses, International Forum for Rural Transport and Development & CSIR, UK Department for International Development Project.
• Ramasar V, Madonsela N, Munster F and Naicker I (2003) Guidelines for the Environmental Assessment of Coastal Mining, SEACAM, Mozambique, 141pp
• Audouin, M., Govender, K., & Ramasar, V.  (2003).  Guidelines for Strategic Environmental Assessment.  Published by The Secretariat for Eastern African Coastal Area Management (SEACAM), Maputo, Mozambique
• Ramasar V (2002) Environmental Assessment of Coastal Mining: A short guide for policy makers, SEACAM, Mozambique, 14pp
• Various CSIR and client research reports – Available on request

Conference and Workshop Presentations:

• Ramasar V. (2010) The Politics of Scalar Discourses in South Africa: The Case of the De Hoop Dam Project.  Paper presented at the Young Water Professionals conference.  Pretoria, South Africa, 19-20 January 2010
• Ramasar V. (2009) Water Allocation and Access: What you get depends on where you sit.  Paper presented at the Amsterdam Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, Vollendam,, Netherlands 2-4 December 2009
• Ramasar, V. (2009) Power and politics in the water game: The role of South Africa in the historical trajectory of southern Africa’s shared rivers.  Paper presented at the International Initiative for Promoting Political Economy conference, Ankara, Turkey 14-15 September 2009
• Ramasar, V. (2006) The role of impact assessment in supporting Millenniuum Development Goal 6: Addresing the HIV/AIDS impacts of development, Paper presented at the International Association for Impact Assessment conference, Stavanger Norway, 21-24 May 2006
• Ramasar, V. (2006) Reframing Environmental Impact Assessment practice in support of sustainable development: When science is not enough, Paper presented at the International Association for Impact Assessment conference, Stavanger Norway, 21-24 May 2006
• Ramasar, V., Mercier J.R. and Leonard, P. (2006) Criteria for assessing the effectiveness of capacity building initiatives for impact assessment.  Paper presented at the International Association for Impact Assessment conference, Stavanger Norway, 21-24 May 2006
• Muller, E., Pretorius, R., Neal, M., Will, C. Binedell, M. and Ramasar, V. (2004)  The State of State of the Environment Reporting in South Africa.  Paper presented at the Environmentek Annual Research Seminar, Durban South Africa, 02 October 2004
• Ramasar V (2004) Presentation on HIV/AIDS and Development in South Africa to the Commonwealth Geographical Bureau meeting.  23-29 May 2004.  Nairobi Kenya.
• Ramasar V (2004) Can Environmental Assessment contribute to the fight against HIV/AIDS and does the environmental fraternity have a responsibility to do so?  Presentation to the WAB IAIA branch.  World Bank Washington.  10 November 2004.
• Ramasar V. (2004) Environmental Assessment and HIV/AIDS in Africa.  Presentation to the World Bank Safeguards Clinic.  09 November 2004.  Washington D.C.
• IEM Lecture Series at the Centre for Environment and Development, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
• Ramasar V (2003) HIV/AIDS and Sustainable Development, Guest Presentation at a Workshop on HIV/AIDS, Democracy, Governance and Development in South Africa, hosted by the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, 16-17 October 2003, Durban South Africa
• Ramasar V (2003) HIV/AIDS and its implications for sustainable development, Guest presentation at a Rockerfeller Brothers Foundation meeting, Durban South Africa, 10 February 2003
• Ramasar V (2003) HIV/AIDS Issues for Rural Development, Guest Presentation at the Rural Poverty Reduction through Transformational and Integrative Economic Development, Durban 13-15 August
• Ramasar V (2003) HIV/AIDS and Gender issues in Agriculture and Water Resource Management, Guest Presentation at the Food and Agricultural Organisation Workshop on Gender relations in water management in SADC, Polokwane, South Africa, 03 March 2003
• Ramasar V (2003) HIV/AIDS and its implications for sustainable development, Guest presentation at a Rockerfeller Brothers Foundation meeting, Durban South Africa, 10 February 2003
• Ramasar V., Colvin M., & Mercier J. (2001) A framework for integrating HIV/AIDS issues into the environmental assessment process, Paper Presentation at the IAIA International Conference 2001, Cartegena, Colombia
• Hounsome R., Muller E. & Ramasar V. (2001) The value of current impact assessment tools for assessing progress towards sustainability, Paper Presentation at the IAIA South African chapter Conference 2001 Ngwenya Lodge, White River.
• Madonsela V, & Ramasar V. (2001) Incorporating community values into EIA: the case of rural people,s attitudes towards wood resources in Hlane, Swaziland, Paper Presentation at the IAIA South African chapter Conference 2001 Ngwenya Lodge, White River.
• Weaver A., Hounsome R. & Ramasar V. (1999) Can EIA in its present form contribute to poverty alleviation? A think-piece, Keynote Address presented at the IAIA South African chapter Conference 1999 27-29 September Free State University, Free State Province
• Law E., Londt H., Neal M. & Ramasar V. (1998) Space: The New Frontier, An Innovative tool for (re)defining stakeholders, Paper Presentation at the IAIA South African chapter Conference 1998 Cathedral Peak, KwaZulu-Natal.