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Ms Letitia Smuts
Lecturer in the UJ Department of Sociology
Department of Sociology
Faculty of Humanities
Biographical
Letitia completed her Masters degree in Sociology cum laude in 2010 and her MA mini-dissertation was titled: ‘Lesbian Identities in South Africa: Black and White Experiences in Johannesburg.’ Over her academic career she has been honoured with numerous awards including the prize for Best Honours research project at the UJ Department of Sociology (2005); the Anton van Wyk bursary for most outstanding Sociology Honours student at the UJ Department of Sociology for the same year, and the prize for the best MA essay (2006) and dissertation (2010) at the UJ Department of Sociology. She was also awarded the first prize for best student essay at the South African Sociological Association’s annual conference in 2008, judged by esteemed sociologist Prof. Ari Sitas. Letitia is the recipient of the Vrije University-NRF Desmond Tutu doctoral scholarship and is currently registered as a PhD student at Vrije University, Amsterdam. Her PhD thesis topic is on the construction of (hetero)sexuality among young people living in Johannesburg.
Qualifications
MA Sociology, University of Johannesburg, 2010
BHons Sociology, University of Johannesburg, 2005
BA Corporate Communication, Rand Afrikaans University, 2003
Research interests
Social identity; Sexuality; Gender; Globalisation; Methodology
Teaching experience
Methodology; Demography; Conflict Studies; Group Dynamics; Sociology of Organisations
Academic citizenship
- Member of the South African Sociological Association, 2006 to present
- SASA council member, 2009 - 2011
- Member of the International Sociological Association, 2006 to present
Recent papers and publications
Smuts, L. 2011. 'Coming Out as a Lesbian in Johannesburg, South Africa: Considering Intersecting Identities and Social Spaces'. South African Review of Sociology, 42(3): 23-40.
Dworzanowski-Venter, B & Smuts, L. 2011. ''Moffies' and 'Butchies': Social Constructions of Caregiving Men and Lesbian Women in Townships on the Rand'. Paper presented at the South African Sociological Association annual conference, Pretoria, South Africa.
Smuts, L. 2010. Lesbian Identities in South Africa: Black and White Experiences in Johannesburg. Saarbrucken: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing (Published MA dissertation)
Smuts, L. 2010. 'Homophobia in the workplaces of South/southern Africa'. UJ Diversity Week Colloquim: Sexism Feminism Homophobia in the workplaces of South Africa and the SA tertiary education sector. 22 September 2010.
Rugunanan, P., Seedat-Khan, M. & Smuts, L. 2010. 'A Sense of South African Indianness: Citizenship, Identity and Experiences of Exclusion at the Oriental Plaza in Johannesburg, South Africa.' Paper presented at the University of Johannesburg, Soweto campus. Conference titled 'South Africa and India: Dialogues on Social Justice and Contested Transitions'. 4-6 October 2010.
Smuts, Letitia. 2010. ‘Coming out in South Africa: A Lesbian Perspective.’ Paper presented at the South African Sociological Association annual conference, University of Fort Hare University, East London, South Africa.
Smuts, Letitia. 2010. ‘Lesbian Identities and Social Space: The urban experience’. Paper presented at the South African Sociological Association annual conference, Fort Hare University, East London, South Africa.
Smuts, Letitia. 2010. ‘Careers with Sociology: Evidence from UJ’. The South African Review of Sociology 41(1): 105-119.
Rugunanan, Pragna, Seedat-Khan, Mariam & Smuts, Letitia. 2009. ‘A Sense of South African Indianness: Citizenship, Identity and Experiences of Exclusion at the Oriental Plaza in Johannesburg, South Africa’. Paper presented at the South African Sociological Association annual conference, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Smuts, Letitia. 2009. ‘Living the L-word: Black and white lesbians in South Africa.’ Paper presented at the UJ Sociology, Anthropology and Development studies Wednesday Seminar, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Smuts, Letitia. 2008. ‘Managing South African Lesbian Identities in the presence of Stigma’ Paper presented at the South African Sociological Association annual conference, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Smuts, Letitia. 2007. 'Careers with Sociology: Evidence from UJ'. Paper presented at the UJ Sociology Seminar, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Smuts, Letitia. 2007. 'Careers in Sociology: Experiences of UJ Sociology Students'. Paper presented at the South African Sociological Association annual conference, Potchefstroom, South Africa
Contact Details
Tel: +27 (0)11 559 2071
Fax: +27 (0)11 559 3787
Auckland Park Kingsway Campus: CRing 628
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