Professor Dennis Francis

  • Professor of Education (School of Education)

Biography

Prior to joining the University of Glasgow, I was a Professor of Sociology at Stellenbosch University and previously served as Dean of Education at the University of the Free State and Head of School at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. I must add that before I started a career in higher education, I was a high school teacher myself and taught for several years in South African schools.

I hold a PhD in sociology in addition to a master’s degree in education for social justice. My master’s and doctoral research focused on identity, intersectionality, inequality and marginalisation as it pertains to youth and schooling. Thus, my research career has addressed the social construction of normativity and marginalisation from the outset. My research, located in the sociology of education, engages with questions related to gender, sexualities and education. More specifically, it focuses on how structures, discourses and practices reproduce cisheteronormativity and social inequality in education and how these are also resisted and challenged. My research is committed to advancing social justice, but it also affords me opportunities to engage with and advance the field theoretically, methodologically and practically. In recognition of my contribution to South African educational research, in 2014, I was awarded the Education Association of South Africa’s Medal of Honour. 

My most recent books are Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education (Queer Studies and Education – Palgrave MacMillan, 2017), Queer Social Movements and Outreach Work in Schools: A Global Perspective (Queer Studies and Education – Palgrave Macmillan, 2021, co-ed with Jon I Kjaran & Jukka Lehtonen) and Queer Activism in South African Education: Disrupting Cis(hetero)normativity in Schools (Routledge Critical Studies in Gender and Sexuality, 2023). My research also appears in high-impact and relevant peer-reviewed academic publications, which can be viewed below.

My current research and the focus of my next book troubles the connection or lack thereof between cisheteronormativity and higher education – specifically, how pedagogy is placed at the centre of this response. Offering a granular analysis, my research explores what happens when gender and sexuality diversity and identities are introduced and discussed in a higher education classroom. It is a candid and reflective ethnographic exploration of what pedagogical challenges and opportunities arise when knowledge, praxis and power feature conjointly in a class that places compulsory cisheteronormativity under the spotlight.

Regarding teaching, I have taught graduate courses on education for social justice, research methods, queer feminism and the sociology of youth. I have been a recipient of the Stellenbosch University Distinguished Teacher Award in 2019, and in 2022 I was awarded a prestigious teaching fellowship.

Research interests

The primary domain of my research and scholarship, rooted in the anti-normative framework of queer studies, concentrates on genders, sexualities and schooling. Focusing on the sociocultural dimensions of gender and sexualities, my research examines how gender and sexualities are learnt, enacted and performed in ways that contribute to the illusion that they are indeed something fixed and essential, which makes us behave in seemingly unitary and predetermined ways. My writing, therefore, has troubled normalising tendencies such as the taken-for-granted socially constructed binaries of male/female, boy/girl, heterosexual/homosexual and other normative groupings within schooling, particularly the ways this reflects onto and refines broader debates of education for social justice.

I do favour fields of research that focus on social justice, anti-oppressive education, social movements and activism in education, youth studies, queer and trans studies, technologies of sexuality, health and relationship education and arts for social change, all of which are informed by queer feminism, theories of affect and emotion, and gender and intersectionality.

I am an inspired and creative researcher with broad methodological interests and insights. My research utilises a range of critical, transformative methodological approaches, including arts-based methodologies, Boalian theatre, school and classroom ethnography and participatory action research, all of which prioritise integrity and rigour.

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2004
Number of items: 73.

2023

Beukes, A. and Francis, D. A. (2023) “All of a sudden, you are alien to them”: Transgender and gender-diverse students’ experiences of and responses to institutionalised cisgenderism at Stellenbosch University. In: Fataar, A. (ed.) The Educational Pathways and Experiences of First-generation Black Students at Stellenbosch University. African Sun Media: Stellenbosch, SA, pp. 125-142. ISBN 9781991260222

Francis, D. A. (2023) ‘A square peg in a round hole’. Transgender and gender diverse youth and schooling in South Africa. Sexualities, (doi: 10.1177/13634607231212850) (Early Online Publication)

Francis, D. (2023) “You gotta pull yourself towards yourself.” A sociological analysis of how Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) school attending youth, school managers and teachers understand and respond to transphobia in South African schools. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, (doi: 10.1080/13540602.2023.2225417) (Early Online Publication)

Francis, D. and McEwen, H. (2023) Normalising intolerance: the efforts of Christian Right groups to block LGBTIQ+ inclusion in South African schools. Culture, Health and Sexuality, (doi: 10.1080/13691058.2023.2195913) (Early Online Publication)

Francis, D. A. (2023) ‘And I would ask myself, what’s being gay got to do with this anyway?’ Constructions of queer subject positions in student’s stories. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, 18(1), pp. 59-70. (doi: 10.1177/17461979211048670)

Francis, D. A. (2023) “Did you just say I was lit ?” Transgender and non-binary youth doing gender; resisting cisnormativity in South African schools. Journal of Gender Studies, (doi: 10.1080/09589236.2023.2172386) (Early Online Publication)

2022

monakali, e. and Francis, D. A. (2022) “I get fire inside me that tells me I’m going to defy.”: The discursive construction of trans masculinity in Cape Town, South Africa. Men and Masculinities, 25(1), pp. 3-23. (doi: 10.1177/1097184x20982025)

Francis, D. (2022) Queer activism in South African education : disrupting cis(hetero)normativity in schools. Series: Routledge critical studies in gender and sexuality in education. Routledge: New York, NY.

Francis, D. and Monakali, E. (2022) ‘Lose the Act’: pedagogical implications drawn from transgender and non-binary learners’ experiences of schooling. Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 29(5), pp. 715-731. (doi: 10.1080/14681366.2021.1912159)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Bodies, affect and schooling. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 39-59. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-3)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Bodies, space and schooling. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 21-38. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-3)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Closing lines. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 152-167. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-8)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Connection, emotions and queer activism. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 110-131. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-6)

Francis, D. A. (2022) How school and Queer Social Movements touch? In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 60-89. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-4)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Online education, queer activism and social networks. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 90-109. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-5)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Opening lines. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 1-20. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-8)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Queer activism, social action within schools. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 132-151. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-7)

Francis, D. A. and Kuhl, K. (2022) Imagining a curriculum beyond compulsory heterosexuality in South African education. Journal of LGBT Youth, 19(4), pp. 469-488. (doi: 10.1080/19361653.2020.1844606)

2021

Francis, D. A. and Reygan, F. (2021) LGBT microaggressions among teachers in South African schools. In: Corkett, J. K., Cho, C. L. and Steele, A. (eds.) Global Perspectives on Microaggressions in Schools: Understanding and Combating Covert Violence. Routledge: New York, NY. ISBN 9781003089681

Francis, D. (2021) Queering the (ab)normalization of gender, (hetero)sexuality and schooling in South Africa. Journal of Homosexuality, 68(10), pp. 1571-1590. (doi: 10.1080/00918369.2019.1701337) (PMID:31833821)

Francis, D. A. (2021) ‘Oh my word; for us African gays it’s another story.’ revealing the intersections between race, same sex-sexuality and schooling in South Africa. Race Ethnicity and Education, 24(1), pp. 1-17. (doi: 10.1080/13613324.2019.1679752)

2020

Francis, D. A. and Kjaran, J. I. (2020) Troubling the discourse of the victimization of queer youth in Icelandic and South African education. Feminism and Psychology, 30(4), pp. 425-444. (doi: 10.1177/0959353520912960)

Francis, D. A., Kjaran, J. I. and Lehtonen, J. (Eds.) (2020) Queer Social Movements and Outreach Work in Schools: A Global Perspective. Palgrave Macmillan US: Cham.

Francis, D. A. and Khan, G. H. (2020) “I decided to teach… despite the anger”: using forum theatre to connect queer activists, teachers and school leaders to address heterosexism in schools. In: Francis, D. A., Kjaran, J. I. and Lehtonen, J. (eds.) Queer Social Movements and Outreach Work in Schools. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 237-259. ISBN 9783030416102 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-41610-2_11)

Kjaran, J. I., Lehtonen, J. and Francis, D. A. (2020) Conclusions: Queering “politics of pain” through activism and educational outreach work. In: Francis, D. A., Kjaran, J. I. and Lehtonen, J. (eds.) Queer Social Movements and Outreach Work in Schools. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 285-291. ISBN 9783030416102 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-41610-2_13)

Kjaran, J. I., Lehtonen, J. and Francis, D. A. (2020) Introduction: The synergistic potential of the outreach work and activism of queer social movements and schools. In: Francis, D. A., Kjaran, J. I. and Lehtonen, J. (eds.) Queer Social Movements and Outreach Work in Schools: a Global Perspective. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 1-14. ISBN 9783030416102 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-41610-2_1)

2019

Francis, D. (2019) ‘Keeping it straight’ what do South African queer youth say they need from sexuality education? Journal of Youth Studies, 22(6), pp. 772-790. (doi: 10.1080/13676261.2018.1539223)

Francis, D. A. (2019) What does the teaching and learning of sexuality education in South African schools reveal about counter-normative sexualities? Sex Education, 19(4), pp. 406-421. (doi: 10.1080/14681811.2018.1563535)

Francis, D. A., Brown, A., McAllister, J., Mosime, S. T., Thani, G. T.Q., Reygan, F., Dlamini, B., Nogela, L. and Muller, M. (2019) A five country study of gender and sexuality diversity and schooling in Southern Africa. Africa Education Review, 16(1), pp. 19-39. (doi: 10.1080/18146627.2017.1359637)

2017

Francis, D. (2017) Troubling the teaching and learning of gender and sexuality diversity in South African education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York. (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1)

Francis, D. and Brown, A. (2017) ‘To correct, punish and praise’ LRC leaders experiences and expressions of non-heterosexuality in Namibian schools. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 21(12), pp. 1276-1293. (doi: 10.1080/13603116.2017.1336577)

Francis, D. A. (2017) Homophobia and sexuality diversity in South African schools: A review. Journal of LGBT Youth, 14(4), pp. 359-379. (doi: 10.1080/19361653.2017.1326868)

2016

Francis, D. A. and Reygan, F. (2016) 'Let's see if it won't go away by itself.' LGBT microaggressions among teachers in South Africa. Education as Change, 20(3), pp. 180-201. (doi: 10.17159/1947-9417/2016/1124)

Francis, D. (2016) ‘I felt confused; I felt uncomfortable … my hair stood on ends’: Understanding how teachers negotiate comfort zones, learning edges and triggers in the teaching of sexuality education in South Africa. In: Sundaram, V. and Sauntson, H. (eds.) Global Perspectives and Key Debates in Sex and Relationships Education: Addressing Issues of Gender, Sexuality, Plurality and Power. Palgrave Pivot: London, pp. 130-145. ISBN 9781137500229 (doi: 10.1057/9781137500229_9)

Francis, D. and Reygan, F. (2016) Relationships, intimacy and desire in the lives of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth in South Africa. South African Review of Sociology, 47(3), pp. 65-84. (doi: 10.1080/21528586.2016.1163290)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Compulsory heterosexuality. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 109-134. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_7)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Conclusion. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 137-149. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_8)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Introduction. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 3-17. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_1)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Troubling anti-oppressive education. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 19-31. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_2)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Troubling the agency-victimhood trope. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 89-107. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_6)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Troubling the research. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 33-54. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_3)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Troubling the visibility and invisibility of non-normative sexualities in schools. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 57-70. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_4)

2015

Francis, D. A. and DePalma, R. (2015) ‘You need to have some guts to teach’: Teacher preparation and characteristics for the teaching of sexuality and HIV/AIDS education in South African schools. SAHARA-J: Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, 12(1), pp. 30-38. (doi: 10.1080/17290376.2015.1085892)

Reygan, F. and Francis, D. (2015) Emotions and pedagogies of discomfort: Teachers’ responses to sexual and gender diversity in the Free State, South Africa. Education as Change, 19(1), pp. 101-119. (doi: 10.1080/16823206.2014.943259)

2014

DePalma, R. and Francis, D.A. (2014) The gendered nature of South African teachers' discourse on sex education. Health Education Research, 29(4), pp. 624-632. (doi: 10.1093/her/cyt117)

DePalma, R. and Francis, D. (2014) Silence, nostalgia, violence, poverty … : What does ‘culture’ mean for South African sexuality educators? Culture, Health and Sexuality, 16(5), pp. 547-561. (doi: 10.1080/13691058.2014.891050)

DePalma, R. and Francis, D. (2014) South African life orientation teachers: (not) teaching about sexuality diversity. Journal of Homosexuality, 61(12), pp. 1687-1711. (doi: 10.1080/00918369.2014.951256)

Francis, D. (2014) ‘You must be thinking what a lesbian man teacher is doing in a nice place like Dipane Letsie School?’: enacting, negotiating and reproducing dominant understandings of gender in a rural school in the Free State, South Africa. Gender and Education, 26(5), pp. 539-552. (doi: 10.1080/09540253.2014.947246)

Francis, D. A. and DePalma, R. (2014) Teacher perspectives on abstinence and safe sex education in South Africa. Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, 14(1), pp. 81-94. (doi: 10.1080/14681811.2013.833091)

2013

Francis, D. (2013) Sexuality education in South Africa: Whose values are we teaching? Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 22(2), pp. 69-76. (doi: 10.3138/cjhs.2013.2199)

Francis, D. (2013) "You know the homophobic stuff is not in me, like us, it's out there". Using participatory theatre to challenge heterosexism and heteronormativity in a South African school. South African Journal of Education, 33(4), 853.

Francis, D. A. (Ed.) (2013) Sexuality, Society & Pedagogy. SUN Press: Stellenbosch, SA. ISBN 9781920382445

2012

Francis, D. A. (2012) Teacher positioning on the teaching of sexual diversity in South African schools. Culture, Health and Sexuality, 14(6), pp. 597-611. (doi: 10.1080/13691058.2012.674558)

2011

Francis, D. (2011) I would tell no one because it is for me to know... no one! whom do out-of-school youth talk to about decisions regarding voluntary counselling and testing? Indian Journal of Social Work, 72(1), pp. 55-70.

Francis, D. A. (Ed.) (2011) Acting on HIV : Using Drama to Create Possibilities for Change. SensePublishers: Rotterdam. ISBN 9789460915932

Francis, D. and le Roux, A. (2011) Teaching for social justice education: the intersection between identity, critical agency, and social justice education. South African Journal of Education, 31(3), pp. 299-311. (doi: 10.15700/saje.v31n3a533)

Francis, D. and Msibi, T. (2011) Teaching about heterosexism: challenging homophobia in South Africa. Journal of LGBT Youth, 8(2), pp. 157-173. (doi: 10.1080/19361653.2011.553713)

Francis, D. A. (2011) Sexuality education in South Africa: wedged within a triad of contradictory values. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 21(2), pp. 317-322. (doi: 10.1080/14330237.2011.10820463)

2010

Francis, D. and Hemson, C. (2010) Multiculturalism in South Africa: In the Shadow of the Rainbow. In: Grant, C. A. and Portera, A. (eds.) Intercultural and Multicultural Education: Enhancing Global Interconnectedness. Routledge (Taylor & Francis): New York, NY. ISBN 9780203848586

Francis, D. A. (2010) Sexuality education in South Africa: Three essential questions. International Journal of Educational Development, 30(3), pp. 314-319. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2009.12.003)

Francis, D. (2010) "They should know where they stand": attitudes to HIV Voluntary Counselling and testing amongst a group of out-of-school youth. South African Journal of Education, 30(3), pp. 327-342.

Francis, D. A. (2010) ‘Sex is not something we talk about, it's something we do’: using drama to engage youth in sexuality, relationship and HIV education. Critical Arts: South-North Cultural and Media Studies, 24(2), pp. 228-244. (doi: 10.1080/02560041003786508)

2009

Francis, D. and Hemson, C. (2009) Youth as research fieldworkers in a context of HIV/AIDS. African Journal of AIDS Research, 8(2), pp. 223-230. (doi: 10.2989/AJAR.2009.8.2.10.862)

Myeza, N. and Francis, D. (2009) ‘Openly positive’: living and working with HIV/AIDS. In: Kogi, N. and Patel, F. (eds.) Working Women: Stories of Strife, Struggle and Survival. SAGE Publications, pp. 111-122. ISBN 9788132108344 (doi: 10.4135/9788132108344.n10)

2008

Ebrahim, H. and Francis, D. (2008) You said, ‘Black girl’: doing difference in early childhood. Africa Education Review, 5(2), pp. 274-287. (doi: 10.1080/18146620802449894)

Francis, D. and Rimmensberger, N. (2008) Between the cracks: out-of-school youth and discourses of HIV/AIDS. South African Journal of Psychology, 38(4), pp. 603-613. (doi: 10.1177/008124630803800402)

2007

Francis, D. and Hemson, C. (2007) Rainbow's end: Consciousness and enactment in social justice education. Perspectives in Education, 25(1), pp. 99-109.

Francis, D. (2007) Researching the role of race in young biracial adults' identity construction: Exploring implications for tansracial adoptions. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 43(3), pp. 261-270. (doi: 10.15270/43-3-274)

2006

Francis, D. and Francis, E. (2006) Raising awareness of HIV-related stigma and its associated prejudice and discrimination. South African Journal of Higher Education, 20(1), (doi: 10.4314/sajhe.v20i1.25557)

Francis, D. and Hemson, C. (2006) “See the Hope” - Using participatory visual arts methods to challenge HIV related stigma. Education as Change, 10(2), pp. 53-65. (doi: 10.1080/16823200609487139)

Zisser, A. and Francis, D. (2006) Youth have a new attitude on AIDS, but are they talking about it? African Journal of AIDS Research, 5(2), pp. 189-196. (doi: 10.2989/16085900609490379) (PMID:25875243)

2004

Francis, D. (2004) HIVism: A pervasive system of oppression. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 40(1), pp. 61-71. (doi: 10.15270/40-1-352)

Francis, D. and Muthukrishna, N. (2004) Able voices on inclusion/exclusion - A people in their own words. International Journal of Special Education, 9, pp. 108-118.

This list was generated on Fri Apr 26 10:05:22 2024 BST.
Jump to: Articles | Books | Book Sections | Edited Books
Number of items: 73.

Articles

Francis, D. A. (2023) ‘A square peg in a round hole’. Transgender and gender diverse youth and schooling in South Africa. Sexualities, (doi: 10.1177/13634607231212850) (Early Online Publication)

Francis, D. (2023) “You gotta pull yourself towards yourself.” A sociological analysis of how Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) school attending youth, school managers and teachers understand and respond to transphobia in South African schools. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, (doi: 10.1080/13540602.2023.2225417) (Early Online Publication)

Francis, D. and McEwen, H. (2023) Normalising intolerance: the efforts of Christian Right groups to block LGBTIQ+ inclusion in South African schools. Culture, Health and Sexuality, (doi: 10.1080/13691058.2023.2195913) (Early Online Publication)

Francis, D. A. (2023) ‘And I would ask myself, what’s being gay got to do with this anyway?’ Constructions of queer subject positions in student’s stories. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, 18(1), pp. 59-70. (doi: 10.1177/17461979211048670)

Francis, D. A. (2023) “Did you just say I was lit ?” Transgender and non-binary youth doing gender; resisting cisnormativity in South African schools. Journal of Gender Studies, (doi: 10.1080/09589236.2023.2172386) (Early Online Publication)

monakali, e. and Francis, D. A. (2022) “I get fire inside me that tells me I’m going to defy.”: The discursive construction of trans masculinity in Cape Town, South Africa. Men and Masculinities, 25(1), pp. 3-23. (doi: 10.1177/1097184x20982025)

Francis, D. and Monakali, E. (2022) ‘Lose the Act’: pedagogical implications drawn from transgender and non-binary learners’ experiences of schooling. Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 29(5), pp. 715-731. (doi: 10.1080/14681366.2021.1912159)

Francis, D. A. and Kuhl, K. (2022) Imagining a curriculum beyond compulsory heterosexuality in South African education. Journal of LGBT Youth, 19(4), pp. 469-488. (doi: 10.1080/19361653.2020.1844606)

Francis, D. (2021) Queering the (ab)normalization of gender, (hetero)sexuality and schooling in South Africa. Journal of Homosexuality, 68(10), pp. 1571-1590. (doi: 10.1080/00918369.2019.1701337) (PMID:31833821)

Francis, D. A. (2021) ‘Oh my word; for us African gays it’s another story.’ revealing the intersections between race, same sex-sexuality and schooling in South Africa. Race Ethnicity and Education, 24(1), pp. 1-17. (doi: 10.1080/13613324.2019.1679752)

Francis, D. A. and Kjaran, J. I. (2020) Troubling the discourse of the victimization of queer youth in Icelandic and South African education. Feminism and Psychology, 30(4), pp. 425-444. (doi: 10.1177/0959353520912960)

Francis, D. (2019) ‘Keeping it straight’ what do South African queer youth say they need from sexuality education? Journal of Youth Studies, 22(6), pp. 772-790. (doi: 10.1080/13676261.2018.1539223)

Francis, D. A. (2019) What does the teaching and learning of sexuality education in South African schools reveal about counter-normative sexualities? Sex Education, 19(4), pp. 406-421. (doi: 10.1080/14681811.2018.1563535)

Francis, D. A., Brown, A., McAllister, J., Mosime, S. T., Thani, G. T.Q., Reygan, F., Dlamini, B., Nogela, L. and Muller, M. (2019) A five country study of gender and sexuality diversity and schooling in Southern Africa. Africa Education Review, 16(1), pp. 19-39. (doi: 10.1080/18146627.2017.1359637)

Francis, D. and Brown, A. (2017) ‘To correct, punish and praise’ LRC leaders experiences and expressions of non-heterosexuality in Namibian schools. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 21(12), pp. 1276-1293. (doi: 10.1080/13603116.2017.1336577)

Francis, D. A. (2017) Homophobia and sexuality diversity in South African schools: A review. Journal of LGBT Youth, 14(4), pp. 359-379. (doi: 10.1080/19361653.2017.1326868)

Francis, D. A. and Reygan, F. (2016) 'Let's see if it won't go away by itself.' LGBT microaggressions among teachers in South Africa. Education as Change, 20(3), pp. 180-201. (doi: 10.17159/1947-9417/2016/1124)

Francis, D. and Reygan, F. (2016) Relationships, intimacy and desire in the lives of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth in South Africa. South African Review of Sociology, 47(3), pp. 65-84. (doi: 10.1080/21528586.2016.1163290)

Francis, D. A. and DePalma, R. (2015) ‘You need to have some guts to teach’: Teacher preparation and characteristics for the teaching of sexuality and HIV/AIDS education in South African schools. SAHARA-J: Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, 12(1), pp. 30-38. (doi: 10.1080/17290376.2015.1085892)

Reygan, F. and Francis, D. (2015) Emotions and pedagogies of discomfort: Teachers’ responses to sexual and gender diversity in the Free State, South Africa. Education as Change, 19(1), pp. 101-119. (doi: 10.1080/16823206.2014.943259)

DePalma, R. and Francis, D.A. (2014) The gendered nature of South African teachers' discourse on sex education. Health Education Research, 29(4), pp. 624-632. (doi: 10.1093/her/cyt117)

DePalma, R. and Francis, D. (2014) Silence, nostalgia, violence, poverty … : What does ‘culture’ mean for South African sexuality educators? Culture, Health and Sexuality, 16(5), pp. 547-561. (doi: 10.1080/13691058.2014.891050)

DePalma, R. and Francis, D. (2014) South African life orientation teachers: (not) teaching about sexuality diversity. Journal of Homosexuality, 61(12), pp. 1687-1711. (doi: 10.1080/00918369.2014.951256)

Francis, D. (2014) ‘You must be thinking what a lesbian man teacher is doing in a nice place like Dipane Letsie School?’: enacting, negotiating and reproducing dominant understandings of gender in a rural school in the Free State, South Africa. Gender and Education, 26(5), pp. 539-552. (doi: 10.1080/09540253.2014.947246)

Francis, D. A. and DePalma, R. (2014) Teacher perspectives on abstinence and safe sex education in South Africa. Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, 14(1), pp. 81-94. (doi: 10.1080/14681811.2013.833091)

Francis, D. (2013) Sexuality education in South Africa: Whose values are we teaching? Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 22(2), pp. 69-76. (doi: 10.3138/cjhs.2013.2199)

Francis, D. (2013) "You know the homophobic stuff is not in me, like us, it's out there". Using participatory theatre to challenge heterosexism and heteronormativity in a South African school. South African Journal of Education, 33(4), 853.

Francis, D. A. (2012) Teacher positioning on the teaching of sexual diversity in South African schools. Culture, Health and Sexuality, 14(6), pp. 597-611. (doi: 10.1080/13691058.2012.674558)

Francis, D. (2011) I would tell no one because it is for me to know... no one! whom do out-of-school youth talk to about decisions regarding voluntary counselling and testing? Indian Journal of Social Work, 72(1), pp. 55-70.

Francis, D. and le Roux, A. (2011) Teaching for social justice education: the intersection between identity, critical agency, and social justice education. South African Journal of Education, 31(3), pp. 299-311. (doi: 10.15700/saje.v31n3a533)

Francis, D. and Msibi, T. (2011) Teaching about heterosexism: challenging homophobia in South Africa. Journal of LGBT Youth, 8(2), pp. 157-173. (doi: 10.1080/19361653.2011.553713)

Francis, D. A. (2011) Sexuality education in South Africa: wedged within a triad of contradictory values. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 21(2), pp. 317-322. (doi: 10.1080/14330237.2011.10820463)

Francis, D. A. (2010) Sexuality education in South Africa: Three essential questions. International Journal of Educational Development, 30(3), pp. 314-319. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2009.12.003)

Francis, D. (2010) "They should know where they stand": attitudes to HIV Voluntary Counselling and testing amongst a group of out-of-school youth. South African Journal of Education, 30(3), pp. 327-342.

Francis, D. A. (2010) ‘Sex is not something we talk about, it's something we do’: using drama to engage youth in sexuality, relationship and HIV education. Critical Arts: South-North Cultural and Media Studies, 24(2), pp. 228-244. (doi: 10.1080/02560041003786508)

Francis, D. and Hemson, C. (2009) Youth as research fieldworkers in a context of HIV/AIDS. African Journal of AIDS Research, 8(2), pp. 223-230. (doi: 10.2989/AJAR.2009.8.2.10.862)

Ebrahim, H. and Francis, D. (2008) You said, ‘Black girl’: doing difference in early childhood. Africa Education Review, 5(2), pp. 274-287. (doi: 10.1080/18146620802449894)

Francis, D. and Rimmensberger, N. (2008) Between the cracks: out-of-school youth and discourses of HIV/AIDS. South African Journal of Psychology, 38(4), pp. 603-613. (doi: 10.1177/008124630803800402)

Francis, D. and Hemson, C. (2007) Rainbow's end: Consciousness and enactment in social justice education. Perspectives in Education, 25(1), pp. 99-109.

Francis, D. (2007) Researching the role of race in young biracial adults' identity construction: Exploring implications for tansracial adoptions. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 43(3), pp. 261-270. (doi: 10.15270/43-3-274)

Francis, D. and Francis, E. (2006) Raising awareness of HIV-related stigma and its associated prejudice and discrimination. South African Journal of Higher Education, 20(1), (doi: 10.4314/sajhe.v20i1.25557)

Francis, D. and Hemson, C. (2006) “See the Hope” - Using participatory visual arts methods to challenge HIV related stigma. Education as Change, 10(2), pp. 53-65. (doi: 10.1080/16823200609487139)

Zisser, A. and Francis, D. (2006) Youth have a new attitude on AIDS, but are they talking about it? African Journal of AIDS Research, 5(2), pp. 189-196. (doi: 10.2989/16085900609490379) (PMID:25875243)

Francis, D. (2004) HIVism: A pervasive system of oppression. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 40(1), pp. 61-71. (doi: 10.15270/40-1-352)

Francis, D. and Muthukrishna, N. (2004) Able voices on inclusion/exclusion - A people in their own words. International Journal of Special Education, 9, pp. 108-118.

Books

Francis, D. (2022) Queer activism in South African education : disrupting cis(hetero)normativity in schools. Series: Routledge critical studies in gender and sexuality in education. Routledge: New York, NY.

Francis, D. (2017) Troubling the teaching and learning of gender and sexuality diversity in South African education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York. (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1)

Book Sections

Beukes, A. and Francis, D. A. (2023) “All of a sudden, you are alien to them”: Transgender and gender-diverse students’ experiences of and responses to institutionalised cisgenderism at Stellenbosch University. In: Fataar, A. (ed.) The Educational Pathways and Experiences of First-generation Black Students at Stellenbosch University. African Sun Media: Stellenbosch, SA, pp. 125-142. ISBN 9781991260222

Francis, D. A. (2022) Bodies, affect and schooling. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 39-59. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-3)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Bodies, space and schooling. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 21-38. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-3)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Closing lines. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 152-167. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-8)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Connection, emotions and queer activism. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 110-131. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-6)

Francis, D. A. (2022) How school and Queer Social Movements touch? In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 60-89. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-4)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Online education, queer activism and social networks. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 90-109. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-5)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Opening lines. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 1-20. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-8)

Francis, D. A. (2022) Queer activism, social action within schools. In: Francis, D.A. (ed.) Queer Activism in South African Education. Taylor & Francis, pp. 132-151. ISBN 9781003187295 (doi: 10.4324/9781003187295-7)

Francis, D. A. and Reygan, F. (2021) LGBT microaggressions among teachers in South African schools. In: Corkett, J. K., Cho, C. L. and Steele, A. (eds.) Global Perspectives on Microaggressions in Schools: Understanding and Combating Covert Violence. Routledge: New York, NY. ISBN 9781003089681

Francis, D. A. and Khan, G. H. (2020) “I decided to teach… despite the anger”: using forum theatre to connect queer activists, teachers and school leaders to address heterosexism in schools. In: Francis, D. A., Kjaran, J. I. and Lehtonen, J. (eds.) Queer Social Movements and Outreach Work in Schools. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 237-259. ISBN 9783030416102 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-41610-2_11)

Kjaran, J. I., Lehtonen, J. and Francis, D. A. (2020) Conclusions: Queering “politics of pain” through activism and educational outreach work. In: Francis, D. A., Kjaran, J. I. and Lehtonen, J. (eds.) Queer Social Movements and Outreach Work in Schools. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 285-291. ISBN 9783030416102 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-41610-2_13)

Kjaran, J. I., Lehtonen, J. and Francis, D. A. (2020) Introduction: The synergistic potential of the outreach work and activism of queer social movements and schools. In: Francis, D. A., Kjaran, J. I. and Lehtonen, J. (eds.) Queer Social Movements and Outreach Work in Schools: a Global Perspective. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 1-14. ISBN 9783030416102 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-41610-2_1)

Francis, D. (2016) ‘I felt confused; I felt uncomfortable … my hair stood on ends’: Understanding how teachers negotiate comfort zones, learning edges and triggers in the teaching of sexuality education in South Africa. In: Sundaram, V. and Sauntson, H. (eds.) Global Perspectives and Key Debates in Sex and Relationships Education: Addressing Issues of Gender, Sexuality, Plurality and Power. Palgrave Pivot: London, pp. 130-145. ISBN 9781137500229 (doi: 10.1057/9781137500229_9)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Compulsory heterosexuality. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 109-134. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_7)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Conclusion. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 137-149. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_8)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Introduction. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 3-17. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_1)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Troubling anti-oppressive education. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 19-31. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_2)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Troubling the agency-victimhood trope. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 89-107. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_6)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Troubling the research. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 33-54. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_3)

Francis, D. A. (2016) Troubling the visibility and invisibility of non-normative sexualities in schools. In: Francis, D. A. (ed.) Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Series: Queer studies and education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, NY, pp. 57-70. ISBN 9781137530271 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_4)

Francis, D. and Hemson, C. (2010) Multiculturalism in South Africa: In the Shadow of the Rainbow. In: Grant, C. A. and Portera, A. (eds.) Intercultural and Multicultural Education: Enhancing Global Interconnectedness. Routledge (Taylor & Francis): New York, NY. ISBN 9780203848586

Myeza, N. and Francis, D. (2009) ‘Openly positive’: living and working with HIV/AIDS. In: Kogi, N. and Patel, F. (eds.) Working Women: Stories of Strife, Struggle and Survival. SAGE Publications, pp. 111-122. ISBN 9788132108344 (doi: 10.4135/9788132108344.n10)

Edited Books

Francis, D. A., Kjaran, J. I. and Lehtonen, J. (Eds.) (2020) Queer Social Movements and Outreach Work in Schools: A Global Perspective. Palgrave Macmillan US: Cham.

Francis, D. A. (Ed.) (2013) Sexuality, Society & Pedagogy. SUN Press: Stellenbosch, SA. ISBN 9781920382445

Francis, D. A. (Ed.) (2011) Acting on HIV : Using Drama to Create Possibilities for Change. SensePublishers: Rotterdam. ISBN 9789460915932

This list was generated on Fri Apr 26 10:05:22 2024 BST.

Grants

  • Francis, DA. (2013) Deepening and Strengthening Teaching and Learning in the Foundation Phase. European Union. £190 000.
  • Francis, DA (2013). Teaching and Learning Sexuality, Relationship and HIV/AIDS Education (TALSHAE), Free State Department of Education Grant. £22 500
  • Francis DA (2013) Critical consciousness on sexual and gender diversity for educators and health care practitioners, National Research Foundation [Competitive Programmed for Rated Researchers]. £34 250.
  • Francis DA (2014). Towards understanding the teaching of gender and sexuality diversity in the Free State Schools National Foundation Research Grant [Education Research in South Africa]. £47 250.
  • Francis DA (2021) Queer Activism in Schools, National Research Foundation [Human and Social Dynamics in Development], £41 500.
  • Francis DA Teaching and Learning Sexuality and HIV/AIDS Education (TALSHAE), Northern Cape Department of Education. £40 000
  • Francis DA (2014). Sexual and Gender Diversity, Transformation and Higher Education, University of the Free State Institutional Interdisciplinary Research Grant. £4 000
  • Francis (2019) HB & MJ Thom Research Award, £4 000
  • Francis DA (2021) Stellenbosch University Book Publication Fund Award, £2 500
  • Francis DA (2022) Gender and Sexuality Diversity Outreach Work in South African Schools, National Research Foundation [Human and Social Dynamics in Development, £43 500.
  • Francis DA (2022) Stellenbosch University Teaching Fellowship Award 2023 -2024, £25 000

Supervision

I am a seasoned Masters and Doctoral advisor with a demonstrable history of over 35 successful graduates. I welcome inquiries to supervise research students with interests in gender, sexualities and schooling, sexuality, health and relationship education and education for social justice.

Teaching

Past courses

Stellenbosch University

  • How to do Queer
  • Troubling Cisheteronormativity in Education
  • Race

Natal University

  • Social Identities and Inequalities
  • Race, Racism & Education
  • Heterosexism & Education
  • Diversity & Learning
  • Education for Social Justice Research

Additional information

I am regularly invited to serve as a keynote speaker at international conferences. My most recent invitations as a keynote or plenary speaker have been at the Just Ed Conference in Finland in 2018, the Nordic Education Research Association (NERA) in Iceland and the Teacher Council of Thailand in 2023. Given the international relevance of my work, I am also frequently asked to address Departments of Education and Health colloquia on issues of diversity, transformation, gender, sexualities and schooling.

I serve on several international editorial boards, including the British Journal of Sociology of Education, Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education, Sex Education, International Journal of Curriculum and Social Justice, Educational Research for Social Change, Journal of LGBT Youth and Journal of Homosexuality.

I have also been awarded two research fellowships at the University of New York and Helsinki University.


Dennis Francis profile pic