Ella Hodge is a masters’ fellow at AVReQ, pursuing an MA in Sociology at Stellenbosch University (SU). She holds a BA Humanities (cum laude), majoring in sociology, history, and psychology, and a BAHons in Sociology (cum laude) from SU. Passionate about criminal justice reform, she has participated in the Ubuntu Learning Community programme at Brandvlei Correctional Centre and supported initiatives at Allandale Correctional Centre. Her research interests relate to the intersection of gender and race with crime and punishment, particularly in how it plays out in public and official discourse.

Current Research Project

Ella Hodge’s research explores how crime and criminality are constructed in contemporary Stellenbosch and how these constructions reflect, reproduce, or depart from historical discourses of crime in South Africa. Prompted by heightened public concern for safety following media coverage of crimes targeting students in Stellenbosch in 2024, the study approaches crime as a symbolic site through which broader social tensions and contradictions are articulated. The research examines how students, staff and others affiliated with Stellenbosch University, the media, and prominent political and civil actors construct criminality. By situating these contemporary constructions within historical crime discourses, the study highlights the enduring role of place, history, and power in shaping perceptions of criminality in post-apartheid South Africa.

Supervisors: Dr Claire-Anne Lester, Dr Wilhelm Verwoerd

Email: 25092448@sun.ac.za