Dr Janell Le Roux

Overview

Qualifications: PhD in Communication Studies, University of Limpopo, 2021 MA in Media Studies, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2011 BA in Media, Communication and Culture, University of Port Elizabeth, 2003 Overview/bio: Dr Janell Le Roux is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Strategic Communication at the University of Johannesburg. Her academic career spans over a decade. Before she joined the University of Johannesburg, she lectured at the University of Limpopo. Dr Le Roux’s research focuses on postcolonial and postmodern identity as well as media representation. She is known for her rigorous yet compassionate approach to teaching and supervision, having supervised numerous postgraduate students on topics ranging from African hair politics to gender-based violence in digital media. Her research interrogates the intersections of race, gender, and representation, with published work in Social Identities and African Studies. She has reviewed abstracts and manuscripts for local and international journals. Janell has presented at leading international conferences, including (ICA) and the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR). Dr Le Roux is a member of SACOMM and ICA and has served as an external examiner for postgraduate dissertations at the University of Johannesburg and University of KwaZulu-Natal. In 2024, she received the PRISA Recognition Award for Excellence in Communication in Academia. Her recent op-ed, “Why the Open Chats podcast controversy demands more than outrage”, published in Mail & Guardian Thought Leader, calls for systemic reform in media representation and curriculum design, reinforcing her commitment to advocacy and ethical communication. Research Interests: Postcolonial and postmodern identity, African hair politics, gender and media representation Achievements: 2024: PRISA Recognition Award for Communication Excellence in Academia 2023: Served as the Finance Committee Co-Chair of the 2nd South African Humanities Dean’s Association (SAHUDA)-National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) Biennal National Conference. 25-27 October 2023. 2023: Served as session chair for 2nd South African Humanities Dean’s Association (SAHUDA)- National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) Biennal National Conference. 25-27 October 2023. 2021: Served as Master of ceremonies for the virtual book launch of Vision never dies. 2020: Best Paper Award, National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) Virtual Doctoral Conference 2017: NIHSS PhD Scholarship and International Travel Grant Journal publications: Le Roux, J. & Oyedemi, T. (2021). Indelible Apartheid: Intergenerational post-colonial narratives of colonial-born coloured females about hair, race, and identity in South Africa. Social Identities . https://doi.org/10.1080/13504630.2021.1989291 Le Roux, J. & Oyedemi, T. (2023). Entrenched Coloniality? Colonial-Born Black Women, Hair and Identity in Post-Apartheid South Africa. African Studies . https://doi.org/10.1080/00020184.2023.2261387 Books and chapters in books: (Non-peer reviewed) Le Roux, J. (2021). ‘Safeguarding the knowledge generation enterprise’. In Phaswana-Mafuya, R.N. (Ed.), Vision never dies: Learning curves from my non-linear career journey . Yes! Press, pp. 122–127. Newspaper publications: Le Roux, J. (2025, August 18). Why the Open Chats podcast controversy demands more than outrage. Mail & Guardian Thought Leader . Conference participation (in the last 5 years): (These are her papers presented at local and international conferences) International Conferences: Le Roux, J. (2017). Media construction of beautiful hair: A study of the representation of hair and feminine beauty in two popular South African magazines. The Conference of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR). Transforming Culture, Politics and Communication: New media, new territories, new discourses . Cartagena, Columbia. 16-20 July. Le Roux, J. (2017). The Renaissance of the Natural? Black female perceptions of artificial and natural hair as reflections of identity in South Africa. The Conference of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR). Transforming Culture, Politics and Communication: New media, new territories, new discourses . Cartagena, Columbia. 16-20 July.