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
African politics
history
colonialism
race
enlightenment
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
66,006
40,446
0.613
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :2
rock art
shell middens
human evolution
South African Prehistory
San hunter gatherers
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
10,364
3,152
0.304
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :3
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,616
2,011
0.358
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :4
African Philosophy
Philosophy of Education
Global Citizenship Education
Higher Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,566
3,094
0.556
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :5
Postcolonial literary studies
print culture
book history
oceanic studies
Indian Ocean studies
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,765
1,930
0.405
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :6
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,650
1,508
0.324
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :7
Philosophy of Cognitive Science
Philosophy of Science
Addiction
Self-control
Physicalism
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,011
1,748
0.436
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :8
18th and early 19th century Cape history
early modern Indian Ocean history
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,785
984
0.260
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :9
African History
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,541
919
0.260
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :10
Systematic theology
ecotheology
ecumenical theology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,533
1,739
0.492
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :11
Social and political change
African studies
comparative labour history
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,498
1,476
0.422
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :12
social-ecological research
complex adaptive systems
philosophy
transformative change toward sustainable futures
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,415
3,035
0.889
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :13
History
Critical Archival Theory
Methodology and Archives
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,917
833
0.286
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :14
South African History
Ethnicity and Nationalism
Film and History
Urban History
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,882
770
0.267
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :15
Contemporary islam
Qur'an
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,860
1,130
0.395
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :16
Indian Diaspora
Islam in South Africa
Sports History
Citizenship
Transnationalism
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,614
1,123
0.430
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :17
African history
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,585
1,283
0.496
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :18
Philosophy of Education
Higher Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,226
913
0.410
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :19
History
South Africa
Biometrics
States
Gold Mining
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,113
1,076
0.509
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :20
Environmental History
19th and 20th Century South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,913
647
0.338
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :21
historical information
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,855
1,155
0.623
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :22
History of Medicine
History of South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,805
1,208
0.669
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :23
Theology
Aesthetics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,781
785
0.441
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :24
modern South African history
immigration
sexuality
youth
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,774
495
0.279
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :25
African history
photography
visual studies
gender studies
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,746
593
0.340
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
6,396
19
5
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Achille Mbembe
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
66,006
40,446
0.613
African politics
history
colonialism
race
enlightenment
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
94,577
333
80
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
John Parkington
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
10,364
3,152
0.304
rock art
shell middens
human evolution
South African Prehistory
San hunter gatherers
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
183,069
751
95
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Lucy Allais
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,616
2,011
0.358
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
184,580
761
102
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Yusef Waghid
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,566
3,094
0.556
African Philosophy
Philosophy of Education
Global Citizenship Education
Higher Education
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
214,624
899
113
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Isabel Hofmeyr
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,765
1,930
0.405
Postcolonial literary studies
print culture
book history
oceanic studies
Indian Ocean studies
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
219,602
923
78
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Gerald West
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,650
1,508
0.324
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
251,804
1,073
90
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
David Spurrett
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,011
1,748
0.436
Philosophy of Cognitive Science
Philosophy of Science
Addiction
Self-control
Physicalism
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
265,050
1,137
252
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Nigel Worden
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,785
984
0.260
18th and early 19th century Cape history
early modern Indian Ocean history
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
280,679
1,210
147
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Peter Delius
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,541
919
0.260
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
281,183
1,213
38
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Ernst M. Conradie
University of the Western Cape
Bellville, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,533
1,739
0.492
Systematic theology
ecotheology
ecumenical theology
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
283,673
1,231
83
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Peter Alexander
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,498
1,476
0.422
Social and political change
African studies
comparative labour history
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
289,513
1,262
168
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Rika Preiser
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,415
3,035
0.889
social-ecological research
complex adaptive systems
philosophy
transformative change toward sustainable futures
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
330,314
1,477
312
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Carolyn Hamilton
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,917
833
0.286
History
Critical Archival Theory
Methodology and Archives
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
333,432
1,497
316
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Vivian Bickford-Smith
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,882
770
0.267
South African History
Ethnicity and Nationalism
Film and History
Urban History
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
335,535
1,504
100
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Farid Esack
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,860
1,130
0.395
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
360,750
1,643
142
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Goolam Vahed
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,614
1,123
0.430
Indian Diaspora
Islam in South Africa
Sports History
Citizenship
Transnationalism
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
363,854
1,660
164
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Alois Mlambo
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,585
1,283
0.496
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
407,519
1,908
53
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Philip Higgs
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,226
913
0.410
Philosophy of Education
Higher Education
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
423,474
2,010
214
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Keith Breckenridge
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,113
1,076
0.509
History
South Africa
Biometrics
States
Gold Mining
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
454,868
2,168
399
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Lance Van Sittert
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,913
647
0.338
Environmental History
19th and 20th Century South Africa
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
464,697
2,216
27
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Sive Masawe
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,855
1,155
0.623
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
473,377
2,253
412
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Rebecca Hodes
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,805
1,208
0.669
History of Medicine
History of South Africa
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
477,787
2,279
289
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Johan Cilliers
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,781
785
0.441
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
479,133
2,286
249
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Clive Glaser
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,774
495
0.279
modern South African history
immigration
sexuality
youth
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
484,382
2,301
78
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Patricia Hayes
University of the Western Cape
Bellville, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,746
593
0.340
African history
photography
visual studies
gender studies