Degrees Held
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of KwaZulu-Nata,l 2023
- Master of Arts, Ghana Institute of Journalism, 2014
- Bachelor of Science, University of Ghana, 2007
Research Interests
Emmanuel’s primary research interest is in the area of health communication, emphasising community radio. He is also interested in new media, community development and sports journalism issues.
Teaching Interests
- Development communication engaging with topics of community radio, health communication and communication for social change.
Research Record / Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Chapters In Books
Journal Articles
- Essel, E. and Govender, E. (2024). Access, participation, and social capital as intangible outcomes of community radio practice in Ghana. Mediaciones, 33(21), pp. 23-44. https://doi.org/10.26620/uniminuto.mediaciones.21.33.2024.23-44
- Essel, E. and Govender, E. (2024) Putting the entertainment and education back into community radio: a Ghanaian perspective on Covid-19 messaging. Journal of Alternative and Community Media, 8, Intellect, pp. 169 – 190. https://doi.org/10.1386/jacm_00125_1
- Essel, E. and Govender, E. (2023). Vernacular radio and the practice of resistance: community radio as a cultural tool to engage on health and social identities among marginalised communities in Ghana. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, Taylor & Francis, pp. 99-118. https://doi.org/10.1080/19376529.2022.2142230
- Essel, E. (2021). Assessing the use of the WhatsApp status updates tool for Covid-19 relevant health communication among undergraduate communication students in Ghana. Health and new media research, 5 (1), pp. 91-120. https://doi.org/10.22720/hnmr.2020.5.1.091
Chapters In Books
- Essel, E. and Govender, E. (2025) Voice, listening, and dialogue in Covid-19 communication in Ghana: Community Radio and Hegemonic Resistance, in: Asuman, M.K.A., Adjin-Tettey, T.D. and Fosu, M. (eds). Communication and social change in Africa: Selected case studies. Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, pp. 181-198. Available from: https://networkcultures.org/wpcontent/uploads/2025/01/PDFCommunicationandSocialChangeinAfrica_INC2025_TOD55.pdf.
Essel, E., Govender, E., and Gibson, S. (2023) Using community radio to communicate COVID-19 among marginalized communities, in: Henaku, N., Agbozo, G.E. and Nartey, M. (eds). Communicative Perspectives on COVID-19 in Ghana: At the Intersection of Culture, Science, Religion and Politics. London: Routledge, pp. 128-143. Available from: https://doi.org/ 10.4324/9781003330042-12
Teaching Expertise
- Emmanuel have thought courses in communication at the undergraduate, honours and masters level in Ghana and South Africa including research methods, media in the global world, health communication, theories of development and development communication strategies.