Bibliometric research and hierarchies of knowledge in political science

Abstract

How do bibliometric studies unravel the inequalities in terms of recognition and prestige in Political Science? The relevance of such studies resides in the unravelling of the hierarchies of knowledge operating in knowledge-making, especially in terms of thematic, theoretical, and methodological preferences; and in terms of the agency of knowledge-making, namely professional profiles. Thus, this paper aims to advance the concept of hierarchies of knowledge as the structure of inequalities of recognition, prestige, and power within the discipline. Its explanatory power is grounded in findings from our bibliometric research and that of other authors. We support our argument with statistical data, arguing that bibliometric studies should be interpreted in light of their underlying hierarchies of knowledge, both in terms of knowledge-making, and agency diversity.

Keywords:
bibliometric research; hierarchies of knowledge; professional profile; knowledge-making