Ilse Eigelaar-Meets

Ilse Eigelaar-Meets is a sociologist at the Univeristy of Stellenbosch. She holds higher qualifications Sociology including a PhD in Sociology of Development (Stellenbosch, 2018), MPhil in Social Research Methods (Stellenbosch, 2001) a Hons BA in Sociology (Stellenbosch, 1999) and a BA degree with majors in Sociology and Psychology (Stellenbosch, 1998). Ilse has worked as a researcher and project manager in several institutions including National and Provincial government (National Advisory Council for Innovation, Department of Social Development Western Cape Provincial Government, and as Deputy Director for research at the Department of Local Government and Housing Western Cape Provincial Government). She has taught in various tertiary institutions including University of Johannesburg (RAU), Cornerstone Christian College and Hugenote Kollege.              

Her research areas include Community and Rural development, Migration (Demographic and social impacts), Population, and Local Governance. In her work as researcher, she has acquired wide-ranging research experience serving a broad range of clients such as government, the corporate sector, and universities.

Recent publications:

KC, A., Abbasi-Shavazi, M. J., Eigelaar-Meets, I., Lijadi, A. A., Reiter, C., Striessnig, E., & Lutz, W. (2025). Assessing sustainable wellbeing in Africa through “Years of Good Life”. Environmental Development, 54.

Eigelaar-Meets, I. (2024). Internal migration and development planning in South Africa. AVARSITY Books, AOSIS, Cape Town, South Africa.

Marais, S., Eigelaar-Meets, I., & Poole, C. (2017). Risk behaviour among teenagers: Understanding the social context of teenage pregnancies in two rural schools in the Cape Winelands District, South Africa. In Clarke, L.C., Rhynas, S., Schannauer, M., & Taylor, J. (Eds.), Risk and Resilience. Global Learning Across the Age Span (pp. 100–115). Dunedin: London.

Bekker, S. B., Eigelaar-Meets, I., & Eva, G. (2012). Citizenship and xenophobic violence in South Africa: May and June 2008. In Uys, T., & Patel, S. (Eds.), Exclusion, Social Capital and Citizenship (pp. 348–374). Orient BlackSwan, New Delhi, India.

Bekker, S. B., & Eigelaar-Meets, I. (2012). Migration and resource conflicts in South Africa - four illustrative case studies. Conference paper delivered, Cologne, Germany.