Jing and Lawrence travelled to the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in December 2025 to participate in a workshop titled "Geoeconomics and the Future of Globalisation" organised by PRISM affiliates Asha Sundaram and Chanelle Duley. The conference dealt with the economic challenges associated with rising geopolitical tensions, with keynote addresses on the implications for global value chains by Pol Antràs (Harvard University) and firm exporting and importing strategies in the face of uncertainty by Stephen Redding (Stanford University).
Lawrence presented a paper on resilience through regional integration, particularly the African Continental Free Trade area, while Jing presented a draft paper from his PhD titled "Importer Price Effects of Tariffs in the Context of Preferential Trade Agreements". The conference provided an amazing opportunity to engage and build resesarch links with business leaders, policymakers and academics.
PRISM held its AGM on the 17th February 2023. There are many exciting projects in the pipeline for 2023. Watch this space!
PRISM recently welcomed the Harvard Growth Lab (Center for International Development at Harvard University) for a Roundtable discussion on Manufacturing in South Africa. Some of the issues discussed were (1) the characteristics of South Africa's labour market segmentation, (2) the role of manufacturing in employment creation, and (3) the long-term effects of Apartheid's spatial policies on labour outcomes.
PRISM is steadily growing. Our researchers recently received their PRISM branded hoodies.
Be on the look out for us when you are out and about. Interested in becoming a researcher? Get in touch with one of us.
Asha Sundaram, second from right, a PRISM research associate and former faculty in the school of economics, visited PRISM as a visiting academic between February and April 2023. Asha is currently senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
PRISM is pleased to host visiting scholar (Max van Deursen) between July and October 2023. Max recently presented on some of his research at the PRISM brown bag seminar on the 17th August 2023. His presentation focused on his research that assesses South Africa's engagement in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) transparency requirements, including both benefits and burdens, for furthering domestic climate action priorities. The research draws on expert interviews, a focus group discussion as well as document analysis. With new the Paris Agreement's enhanced transparency framework commencing in 2024, this study aims to critically examine the merits of increased reporting obligations, particularly for developing counrties, in light of increasingly high stakes climate politics.
More about Max:
Max is a PhD candidate at the Environmental Policy Group of Wageningen University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Leiden University College and a master's degree in Climate Studies with a specialization in climate policy. His previous experiences include serving as the Dutch Youth Representative to the United Nations for two years and interning at the UNFCCC secretariat. Max recently completed a 5-month visiting fellowship at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a public policy think tank based in New Delhi, as part of his PhD work.
Jing and Lawrence travelled to the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in December 2025 to participate in a workshop titled "Geoeconomics and the Future of Globalisation" organised by PRISM affiliates Asha Sundaram and Chanelle Duley. The conference dealt with the economic challenges associated with rising geopolitical tensions, with keynote addresses on the implications for global value chains by Pol Antràs (Harvard University) and firm exporting and importing strategies in the face of uncertainty by Stephen Redding (Stanford University).
Lawrence presented a paper on resilience through regional integration, particularly the African Continental Free Trade area, while Jing presented a draft paper from his PhD titled "Importer Price Effects of Tariffs in the Context of Preferential Trade Agreements". The conference provided an amazing opportunity to engage and build resesarch links with business leaders, policymakers and academics.
PRISM held its AGM on the 17th February 2023. There are many exciting projects in the pipeline for 2023. Watch this space!
PRISM recently welcomed the Harvard Growth Lab (Center for International Development at Harvard University) for a Roundtable discussion on Manufacturing in South Africa. Some of the issues discussed were (1) the characteristics of South Africa's labour market segmentation, (2) the role of manufacturing in employment creation, and (3) the long-term effects of Apartheid's spatial policies on labour outcomes.
PRISM is steadily growing. Our researchers recently received their PRISM branded hoodies.
Be on the look out for us when you are out and about. Interested in becoming a researcher? Get in touch with one of us.
Asha Sundaram, second from right, a PRISM research associate and former faculty in the school of economics, visited PRISM as a visiting academic between February and April 2023. Asha is currently senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
PRISM is pleased to host visiting scholar (Max van Deursen) between July and October 2023. Max recently presented on some of his research at the PRISM brown bag seminar on the 17th August 2023. His presentation focused on his research that assesses South Africa's engagement in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) transparency requirements, including both benefits and burdens, for furthering domestic climate action priorities. The research draws on expert interviews, a focus group discussion as well as document analysis. With new the Paris Agreement's enhanced transparency framework commencing in 2024, this study aims to critically examine the merits of increased reporting obligations, particularly for developing counrties, in light of increasingly high stakes climate politics.
More about Max:
Max is a PhD candidate at the Environmental Policy Group of Wageningen University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Leiden University College and a master's degree in Climate Studies with a specialization in climate policy. His previous experiences include serving as the Dutch Youth Representative to the United Nations for two years and interning at the UNFCCC secretariat. Max recently completed a 5-month visiting fellowship at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a public policy think tank based in New Delhi, as part of his PhD work.