Citation Rankings
Highly Cited Researchers
Africa Social Sciences and HumanitiesSocial Sciences / Linguistics and Literature Highly Cited Researchers Citation Rankings 2025
The Citation Rankings (Highly Cited Researchers) highlight the most cited and influential researchers across a vast range of scientific fields, covering 197 main and sub-disciplines, including the Art and Humanities Citation Rankings and Social Sciences and Humanities Citation Rankings. This service, offered exclusively by AD Scientific Index, aims to provide a balanced perspective by excluding data from CERN and other statistical sources that disproportionately favor certain researchers, particularly in the social sciences and humanities. This unique approach addresses the advantages researchers with multi-author publications and CERN involvement hold over others. Furthermore, citation rankings help uncover rule violations and unethical practices within the research community. For more detailed citation analyses, explore the Scientists Last 6 Years Citation Index, Universities Total Citations Rankings 2025, and Universities Last 6 Years Citations Rankings 2025.
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Linguistics
Sociolinguistics
English language
Language in South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
9,531
3,384
0.355
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Sociolinguistics
linguistic anthropology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,448
2,752
0.427
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
linguistics
multilingualism
anthroplogy
philosophy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,786
2,665
0.461
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Languages and Literacies (Reading Literacy
Multilingualism
translanguaging
World Englishes
Language Policy & Planning)
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,677
1,956
0.731
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Oriental Languages
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,596
1,359
0.523
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
orality performance and literature
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,585
671
0.260
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
reading
additional language learning
vocabulary
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,566
1,027
0.400
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
AI
Deep Learning
Machine Learning
Smart Grid
Medical Image Analysis
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,533
2,414
0.953
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Academic literacy
Language testing
Language assessment
Theory of applied linguistics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,503
1,017
0.406
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Literacy
language
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,503
795
0.318
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Reading
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,489
1,715
0.689
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Pre 20th Century - Kiswahili Literature
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,403
2,328
0.969
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Division of Linguistic Studies
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,388
904
0.379
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Multilingualism
Sociolinguistics
Bantu linguistics
Multimodality
Language Policy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,368
1,384
0.584
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Computer science
deep learning
computer vision
natural language processing
human activity recognition
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,296
2,246
0.978
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Applied linguistics/ Language assessment
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,265
1,643
0.725
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Premodern Hebrew linguistics
Bible translation
Religious translation
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,150
1,002
0.466
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Linguistics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,097
698
0.333
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Syntax
Bantu grammar
Psycholinguistics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,078
894
0.430
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Lexicography
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,052
587
0.286
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
South African literature
Poetry
Theory
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,006
422
0.210
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
recherche scientifique
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,939
725
0.374
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
South African literature
translation
whiteness studies
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,896
555
0.293
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,893
371
0.196
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
social semiotics
multimodal communication
academic literacies
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,849
927
0.501
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
104,005
371
93
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Rajend Mesthrie
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
9,531
3,384
0.355
Linguistics
Sociolinguistics
English language
Language in South Africa
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
159,285
626
152
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Ana Deumert
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,448
2,752
0.427
Sociolinguistics
linguistic anthropology
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
177,665
720
22
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Christopher Stroud
University of the Western Cape
Bellville, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,786
2,665
0.461
linguistics
multilingualism
anthroplogy
philosophy
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
353,927
1,611
182
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Leketi Makalela
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,677
1,956
0.731
Languages and Literacies (Reading Literacy
Multilingualism
translanguaging
World Englishes
Language Policy & Planning)
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
362,700
1,034
76
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Mohamed Saleh 2
Assiut University
Asyut, Egypt
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,596
1,359
0.523
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
363,895
1,661
112
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Elizabeth Gunner
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,585
671
0.260
orality performance and literature
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
365,955
1,676
43
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Lilli Pretorius
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,566
1,027
0.400
reading
additional language learning
vocabulary
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
369,596
1,063
12
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Mohamed Abdel Nasser
Aswan University
Aswan, Egypt
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,533
2,414
0.953
AI
Deep Learning
Machine Learning
Smart Grid
Medical Image Analysis
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
373,082
1,708
41
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Albert Weideman
University of the Free State
Bloemfontein, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,503
1,017
0.406
Academic literacy
Language testing
Language assessment
Theory of applied linguistics
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
373,094
1,709
340
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Mastin Prinsloo
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,503
795
0.318
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
374,597
10
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Rajaa Saleh
Sebha University
Sabha, Libya
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,489
1,715
0.689
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
384,778
228
71
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Amiri Swaleh
University of Nairobi
Nairobi, Kenya
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,403
2,328
0.969
Pre 20th Century - Kiswahili Literature
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
386,737
1,139
29
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Mona Said Mansour
Benha University
Qalyubia, Egypt
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,388
904
0.379
Division of Linguistic Studies
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
389,149
1,808
58
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Felix Banda
University of the Western Cape
Bellville, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,368
1,384
0.584
Multilingualism
Sociolinguistics
Bantu linguistics
Multimodality
Language Policy
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
398,174
165
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Abdelghani Dahou
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,296
2,246
0.978
Computer science
deep learning
computer vision
natural language processing
human activity recognition
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
402,169
152
9
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Asma Maaoui
Université de Tunis
Tunis, Tunisia
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,265
1,643
0.725
Applied linguistics/ Language assessment
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
417,959
1,975
49
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Jacobus Naude
University of the Free State
Bloemfontein, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,150
1,002
0.466
Premodern Hebrew linguistics
Bible translation
Religious translation
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
425,889
222
84
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Mary Esther Kropp Dakubu
University of Ghana
Legon, Ghana
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,097
698
0.333
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
428,724
2,029
184
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Jochen Zeller
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,078
894
0.430
Syntax
Bantu grammar
Psycholinguistics
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
432,713
2,049
200
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Dj Prinsloo
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,052
587
0.286
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
439,805
2,096
27
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Michael Chapman
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,006
422
0.210
South African literature
Poetry
Theory
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
450,593
218
23
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Benalla Hocine
Université des Frères Mentouri Constantine 1
Constantine, Algeria
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,939
725
0.374
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
457,805
2,182
276
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Leon De Kock
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,896
555
0.293
South African literature
translation
whiteness studies
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
458,332
855
80
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Emmanuel Obiechina
University of Nigeria
Nsukka, Nigeria
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,893
371
0.196
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
465,783
2,219
405
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Arlene Hillary Archer
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,849
927
0.501
social semiotics
multimodal communication
academic literacies