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
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
12,067
4,010
0.332
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :3
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 :4
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 :5
Stone Age archaeology
human behavioural and cognitive evolution
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,053
4,264
0.529
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :6
African archaeology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,956
2,304
0.290
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :7
arqueología biomolecular
evolución humana
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,686
4,632
0.693
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :8
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 :9
archaeology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,376
2,028
0.318
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :10
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 :11
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,616
2,011
0.358
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :12
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 :13
Stable Isotopes
Climate Change
Tree Rings
Charcoal
Stable Isotope Ecology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,375
4,692
0.873
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :14
archaeology
taphonomy
ethnoarchaeology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,257
2,484
0.473
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :15
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 :16
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,650
1,508
0.324
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :17
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 :18
Paleolithic archaeology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,821
1,996
0.522
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :19
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 :20
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 :21
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 :22
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 :23
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 :24
Social Complexity
Great Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Tradition
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,205
1,439
0.449
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :25
archaeology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,044
934
0.307
* 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
78,813
268
57
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Judith Sealy
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
12,067
4,010
0.332
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
94,577
333
80
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
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
104,003
371
93
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
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
125,795
471
18
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Marlize Lombard
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,053
4,264
0.529
Stone Age archaeology
human behavioural and cognitive evolution
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
127,478
478
64
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
TN Huffman
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,956
2,304
0.290
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
153,435
604
145
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Domingo Carlos Salazar-García
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,686
4,632
0.693
arqueología biomolecular
evolución humana
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
159,281
626
152
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
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
161,132
633
78
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Wadley
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,376
2,028
0.318
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
177,661
720
22
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
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
183,069
751
95
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
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: 12
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
190,872
791
69
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Grant Hall
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,375
4,692
0.873
Stable Isotopes
Climate Change
Tree Rings
Charcoal
Stable Isotope Ecology
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
195,171
810
104
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Lucinda Backwell
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,257
2,484
0.473
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
214,624
899
113
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
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: 16
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: 17
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
262,782
1,128
137
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Sarah Wurz
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,821
1,996
0.522
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
265,050
1,137
252
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
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: 20
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: 21
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: 22
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: 23
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
305,553
1,353
126
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Innocent Pikirayi
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,205
1,439
0.449
Social Complexity
Great Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Tradition
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
318,911
1,424
167
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Karim Sadr
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,044
934
0.307