Prof S Rens

Qualifications

• PhD Media Studies (Wits)
• MA - Media Studies (Cum laude) – Wits University
• BA Honours - Media Studies (Cum Laude) – Wits University
• BA (Media studies & Psychology) – Wits University

Fields of academic interests

• Cultural studies
• Consumer studies
• Critical Audience studies
• Visual culture
• Popular culture
• Psychoanalytic feminist theory and methodology
• Popular music and representation
• Race, gender, class, and representation in popular culture
• Popular psychology and identity in the media (self-help, advisory, and ‘motivational’ media discourses)
• Mediated philanthropy and humanitarianism
• Critical visual methodology
• Critical discourse and multimodal analysis

Field of Specialisation

• Cultural studies
• Consumer culture
• Critical audience studies
• Visual culture
• Popular culture
• Psychoanalytic feminist theory and methodology
• Popular music and representation
• Race, gender, class, and representation in popular culture
• Popular psychology and identity in the media (self-help, advisory, and ‘motivational’ media discourses)
• Mediated philanthropy and humanitarianism
• Critical visual methodology
• Critical discourse and multimodal analysis

Books

Book chapters:

• Rens, S.E. (2024). ‘Communication and Culture’, in Angelopulo, G & Lubinga, E (eds). An introduction to Communication studies, 3rd ed. Johannesburg: Juta.
• Rens, S.E, & Cilliers, C.P. (2020). ‘The Role of Culture in Intercultural Communication’, in Rivera, M & du Plessis, R (eds). Pathways Across Cultures: Intercultural Communication in South Africa, 161-183. Johannesburg: Juta.
• Rens, S.E. (2025). ‘Reading gender relations in an Afrobeats music video: a multimodal textual analysis’, Gray, J & Gershon, D (eds). Reading Media: Textual Analysis and Its Horizons. New York: NYUP.
• Rens, S.E. (2025). Lessons from a ‘Hustler Feminist’ and her stoep-stories, in Burning Down the House. Cape Town: Karavan Press.

Journal articles

• Rens, S.E. (2024). She’s ‘Sexssertive’ and She Knows It! A Post-feminist Reading of African Femininities in Afrobeats Music Videos". Feminist Media Studies.
• Rens, S.E. (2023). ‘It’s about finding and knowing myself’: Why Johannesburg-based South African Millennials Consume Self-help Media. Communicare: Journal of Communication Studies in Africa.
• Rens, S.E. (2021). Women’s empowerment, agency and self-determination in Afrobeats music videos: a multimodal critical discourse analysis. Frontiers Sociology. 6: 646899. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.
• Rens, S.E. (2020). ‘Public self-disclosure and self-improvement in South African media: exploring audience perceptions’, Communicatio, 46(3), pp.43-67.
• Rens, S.E. (2019). 'Who am I, really?'-Self-help consumption and self-identity in the age of technology. HTS Theological Studies, 75(1), pp.1-9.
• Rens, S. (2019). ‘The Rise of Africa's Middle Class: myths, realities and critical engagements ed. by Henning Melber’. Transformation: Critical Perspectives on Southern Africa, 98(1), pp.85-87.
• Rens, S.E. (2023). ‘It’s about finding and knowing myself’: Why Johannesburg-based South African Millennials Consume Self-help Media. Communicare: Journal of Communication Studies in Africa.
• Rens, S.E. (2023). She’s ‘Sexssertive’ and She Knows It! A Post-feminist Reading of African Femininities in Afrobeats Music Videos". Feminist Media Studies.
• Rens, S.E. (2023). [Forthcoming]. She’s ‘Sexssertive’ and She Knows It! A Post-feminist Reading of African Femininities in Afrobeats Music Videos". Feminist Media Studies.
• Rens, S.E. (2021). Women’s empowerment, agency and self-determination in Afrobeats music videos: a multimodal critical discourse analysis. Frontiers Sociology. 6: 646899. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.
• Rens, S.E. (2020). ‘Public self-disclosure and self-improvement in South African media: exploring audience perceptions’, Communicatio, 46(3), pp.43-67.
• Rens, S.E. (2019). 'Who am I, really?'-Self-help consumption and self-identity in the age of technology. HTS Theological Studies, 75(1), pp.1-9.
• Rens, S. (2019). ‘The Rise of Africa's Middle Class: myths, realities and critical engagements ed. by Henning Melber’. Transformation: Critical Perspectives on Southern Africa, 98(1), pp.85-87

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

• Reviews Editor – Communicatio: South African Journal of Communication Theory and Research
• Wits University Golden Key Honour Society member
• PhD Merit Award recipient – Wits University (2018-2020)
• Master’s Merit Award recipient – Wits University (2015)
• Honours Merit Award recipient – Wits university (2013)