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Female DJs and electronic music producers in South Africa: thoughts on (under)representation, gendered technologies and collective agency
Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613847688314881 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Joannou, Michelle Helen |
| author2 | Venter, Carina |
| author_browse | Joannou, Michelle Helen Venter, Carina |
| author_facet | Venter, Carina Joannou, Michelle Helen |
| author_sort | Joannou, Michelle Helen |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131683 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:38.497Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131683 Female DJs and electronic music producers in South Africa: thoughts on (under)representation, gendered technologies and collective agency Joannou, Michelle Helen Venter, Carina Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Music. Disc jockeys -- South Africa Femininity Electronic music -- Production and direction Women -- Effect of technological innovations on Music industry -- Production and direction -- Technological innovations Sex role in the work environment Women in music UCTD Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis examines the underrepresentation of female DJs and electronic music producers in the South African music industry, using eleven participant interviews to gain insight into their unique experiences as cultural entrepreneurs within a predominantly male-dominated professional environment. The study contributes to an existing international body of literature on gender imbalances in the music industry by focusing on the lesser-explored South African context and amplifying the voices of the country’s female DJs and music producers. The mutual shaping of gender and technology is examined to show how material and discursive practices have constructed an enduring association between audio technologies and masculinity. Beyond this historical, sociocultural and political perspective on gender and technology, this research also challenges specific equity approaches in the DJing and music production professions. Historically, these approaches have solely been aimed at increasing the access of female practitioners by altering the educational and career socialisation of women who are entering these fields while also maintaining the so-called “neutral” status of the technology used in the professions. Thus, the cultural biases that are embedded in these technologies are deconstructed to understand the persistent marginalisation of women within the electronic music scene. To show ways of challenging this ostracism, this thesis analyses the role of local female collectives in supporting and encouraging women in the industry through mentorship and networking. Through a collective agency, these female-led groups have emerged in digital and physical spaces to address systemic problems of exclusion, tokenism and sexual violence that women professionals often confront in the male-dominated music industry. This analysis refers to the continued existence of gendered structures and systems that limit women’s resistance possibilities, thereby juxtaposing the optimism of activist attempts at democratisation (and their attendant narratives of agency) against persistent challenges. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Masters 2025-02-05T12:13:00Z 2025-02-05T12:13:00Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131683 en Stellenbosch University vi, 161 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Disc jockeys -- South Africa Femininity Electronic music -- Production and direction Women -- Effect of technological innovations on Music industry -- Production and direction -- Technological innovations Sex role in the work environment Women in music UCTD Joannou, Michelle Helen Female DJs and electronic music producers in South Africa: thoughts on (under)representation, gendered technologies and collective agency |
| title | Female DJs and electronic music producers in South Africa: thoughts on (under)representation, gendered technologies and collective agency |
| title_full | Female DJs and electronic music producers in South Africa: thoughts on (under)representation, gendered technologies and collective agency |
| title_fullStr | Female DJs and electronic music producers in South Africa: thoughts on (under)representation, gendered technologies and collective agency |
| title_full_unstemmed | Female DJs and electronic music producers in South Africa: thoughts on (under)representation, gendered technologies and collective agency |
| title_short | Female DJs and electronic music producers in South Africa: thoughts on (under)representation, gendered technologies and collective agency |
| title_sort | female djs and electronic music producers in south africa thoughts on under representation gendered technologies and collective agency |
| topic | Disc jockeys -- South Africa Femininity Electronic music -- Production and direction Women -- Effect of technological innovations on Music industry -- Production and direction -- Technological innovations Sex role in the work environment Women in music UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131683 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT joannoumichellehelen femaledjsandelectronicmusicproducersinsouthafricathoughtsonunderrepresentationgenderedtechnologiesandcollectiveagency |