Can a judge force me to represent myself and deny me the right to counsel?

You should always (ALWAYS) be able to hire an attorney to represent you.  I am assuming your question means can the judge refuse to appoint an attorney for you.  He can, on a misdemeanor, if he will not be sending you to jail.  If you refuse to accept the attorney that he appointed, then you may be stuck representing yourself.  I hope these answers apply to your situation.  Otherwise, you will probably need to post another question that includes more specifics about your case.