e-ISSN : 3026-0892 p-ISSN : 3026-1422 International Journal of Humanities.
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58578/IJHESS.
Mapping the Landscape of Political Transformation:
A Bibliometric Analysis via Bibloshine Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena Tribhuvan University.
Nepal vaskaradhikari33@gmail.
Article Info:
Submitted:
Jan 30, 2025 Revised:
Feb 14, 2025 Accepted:
Feb 26, 2025 Published:
Mar 3, 2025 Abstract Background: Political transformation plays a critical role in shaping societies, yet there has been limited bibliometric exploration of its research trends.
This study seeks to map the intellectual landscape of political transformation by examining key factors such as annual publications, influential sources, and emerging research topics.
Methods: A systematic bibliometric approach was applied to analyze political transformation research published between 2014 Data were extracted from Scopus, focusing on Open Access.
English-language articles and book series within the Social Sciences.
Analysis was performed using Biblioshiny to assess publication trends, institutional affiliations, citation patterns, and keyword dynamics.
Results: The study identified an upward trend in political transformation publications, with key contributions from European countries and leading academic institutions.
Keyword analysis revealed central themes like governance, political economy, and regional shifts.
Collaboration networks highlighted increasing international cooperation, and citation analysis pinpointed influential works in the field.
Conclusion: This research offers the political transformation field, revealing growing interdisciplinary collaboration and emerging themes.
The findings highlight the fieldAos significant impact on both academia and policy-making.
Volume 3.
Issue 2, 2025.
Pages 366-380 https://ejournal.
yasin-alsys.
org/IJHESS IJHESS Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.
0 International License Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena Keywords: Bibloshine.
Political.
Review.
Scopus.
Transformation INTRODUCTION Political transformation refers to the profound shifts in the structure, function, and dynamics of political (Martinez-Bravo & Wantchekon, 2.
These transformations are often driven by various factors, including social movements, economic crises, technological advancements, and shifts in international power relations.
At the core of political transformation is the change in governance systems, ideologies, and political institutions, which can result in democratization, authoritarianism, regime collapse, or even hybrid systems (Bokobza & Nyrup, 2.
Understanding political transformation is critical not only for scholars and policymakers but also for citizens who are affected by these Over the past few decades, the field of political transformation has seen an expansion of theoretical frameworks and empirical studies aimed at unraveling the complexities of political change (Filgueiras.
Palotti, & Testa, 2.
However, given the vastness and multifaceted nature of political transformation, there remains a need for a more systematic and structured analysis of the body of work examining these processes (Timalsina, 2.
Recent trends in the study of political transformation reflect a growing recognition of the complexity and multidimensionality of political change (Gunitsky, 2.
Scholars have moved beyond simplistic explanations of regime transitions, recognizing that political transformations are influenced by a multitude of factors, including economic conditions, social movements, leadership dynamics, and the role of global institutions (Stirling, 2.
Additionally, the advent of new technologies, particularly in the realms of communication and social media, has introduced new variables into the political transformation equation (Keating & Melis, 2.
The rise of populism, the resurgence of authoritarian regimes, and the increasing number of transitions from democracy to autocracy have also brought new dimensions to the study of political transformation (Baturo.
Kenny, & Balta, 2.
This growing body of research underscores the need for a more comprehensive and organized approach to understanding the development of the field over time.
Despite the increasing volume of research on political transformation, there is a gap in the literature when it comes to a holistic analysis of the field (Till.
Andersson, & Tsakok.
Volume 3.
Issue 2, 2025 Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena The diversity of political contexts, coupled with the variety of theoretical perspectives, has resulted in a fragmented academic landscape (Calderon & Butler, 2.
While individual studies contribute valuable insights into specific aspects of political transformation, a broader overview of the field is lacking.
This gap makes it difficult to discern overarching trends, identify key scholars and seminal works, or determine areas where further research is needed.
In this context, bibliometric analysis offers a powerful tool for mapping the intellectual landscape of political transformation.
By using quantitative methods to analyze patterns of publication, citation, and author collaboration, bibliometric analysis can shed light on the development of the field, reveal hidden connections, and identify emerging areas of research.
Backing this background, the following research question and objectives have been Research Question What are the trends, influential sources, key affiliations, and geographical contributions in the field of Political Transformation, and how do thematic patterns and keyword dynamics shape the research landscape? Research Objectives To analyze the annual scientific production in political transformation.
To identify the most relevant sources contributing to political transformation To examine the most relevant affiliations involved in political transformation To investigate countries' scientific production in political transformation.
To explore keyword dynamics using a WordCloud to identify trending topics.
To interpret the thematic map to understand the structural and conceptual organization of research themes.
International Journal of Humanities.
Education, and Social Sciences Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena
METHODS
This study adopts a systematic bibliometric review design to map the intellectual structure and trends in political transformation research.
The methodology follows a structured protocol to ensure transparency and replicability.
Data Source and Search Strategy: Data were extracted from Scopus, the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature, on February 24, 2025.
To capture relevant literature, the following search string was applied to the Article Title field: (TITLE ("political AND transformation") OR TITLE ("transformation AND political")).
The study covers publications from January 2014 to December 2024, allowing for a decade-long analysis of research output.
Several filters were applied to refine the dataset.
The subject area was limited to Social Sciences (Scopus code: "SOCI") to ensure disciplinary relevance.
The document type was restricted to articles and book series to prioritize peer-reviewed Only English-language documents were included, and the search was further refined to include only fully Open Access (OA) documents, ensuring public accessibility and alignment with equity principles.
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: To maintain a focused dataset, inclusion criteria were set to cover studies explicitly addressing "political transformation" in their titles, articles, and book series published between 2014Ae2024, and Open Access publications in English within the Social Sciences domain.
Exclusion criteria eliminated non-English publications, conference papers, reviews, editorials, and non-OA documents, along with studies outside the Social Sciences .
, those in Natural Sciences or Engineerin.
Data Extraction and Screening: The initial search yielded 825 documents before applying filters.
Refinement based on subject area reduced the dataset to 657 documents, and further filtering by document type .
rticles and book serie.
brought the number down After restricting the language to English, 309 documents remained.
The final Open Access filter left 130 articles for bibliometric analysis.
To ensure relevance, the titles and abstracts of these 130 articles were manually screened to confirm their alignment with political transformation themes.
Bibliometric Analysis: The selected data were analyzed using Biblioshiny, a web interface for bibliometrix in R, to quantify and visualize key trends.
The analysis included productivity metrics, such as annual publication trends, leading institutions, journals, and Collaboration networks were mapped to understand co-authorship patterns and Volume 3.
Issue 2, 2025 Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena international collaboration rates.
Conceptual mapping was performed through keyword cooccurrence analysis to identify thematic clusters and emerging trends.
Additionally, citation analysis was conducted to assess the impact of research through average citations per document, influential works, and reference networks.
Ethical Considerations: To ensure research integrity, several ethical considerations were Bias mitigation was addressed by adhering to strict inclusion and exclusion Transparency was maintained by fully disclosing search parameters, filters, and analytical tools, ensuring reproducibility.
Data integrity was upheld by relying on ScopusAos rigorous indexing standards, which guarantee high-quality publications in the final dataset.
Limitations: Despite the systematic approach, the study has certain limitations.
The database restriction to Scopus may exclude regionally or locally published works.
The language bias due to the exclusion of non-English studies may limit the representation of non-Western perspectives.
The Open Access focus might overlook influential paywalled publications, potentially omitting high-impact research.
Additionally, keyword limitations in title-only searches may miss studies using synonymous terms such as "regime change" or "democratic transition", which could provide valuable insights into political transformation.
Rationale for Methodological Choices: The systematic design of this study ensures replicability and minimizes arbitrariness in literature selection.
The Open Access focus aligns with global efforts to democratize knowledge access.
The decadal scope captures significant geopolitical shifts post-2010, including the rise of populism, climate governance, and digital activism.
Generally, this methodology provides a robust framework for analyzing the evolution, impact, and gaps in political transformation research.
Future studies may refine keyword strategies or expand database coverage to enhance the depth of RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Results section highlight the trends, influential sources, key affiliations, and geographical contributions in the field of Political Transformation, keyword and thematic patterns that dynamics shape the research landscape.
International Journal of Humanities.
Education, and Social Sciences Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena Main Information in Political Transformation Figure 1: Main Information This bibliometric analysis examines 130 documents .
xclusively journal article.
published between 2014 and 2024, sourced from 110 academic journals, books, and other The field demonstrates a robust annual growth rate of 16.
49%, reflecting accelerating scholarly interest in political transformation.
The average document age of 4.
years and an average citation rate of 10.
61 per document suggest that recent publications are actively contributing to and shaping the discourse, with substantial engagement from the academic community.
A total of 7,692 references underpins the intellectual foundation of this corpus, highlighting interdisciplinary connections.
The analysis identifies 606 author-provided keywords alongside 214 Keywords plus, revealing nuanced thematic priorities and conceptual diversity.
Authorship patterns show contributions from 258 researchers, with 64 single-authored documents .
8% of author.
, indicating a blend of individual scholarship and collaborative efforts.
Collaboration metrics reflect 2.
05 coauthors per document and 18.
46% international co-authorships, suggesting moderate but growing cross-border research engagement.
The dominance of journal articles underscores the fieldAos reliance on peer-reviewed literature, with no conference papers, reviews, or other document types represented in this dataset.
These metrics collectively outline a dynamic, evolving field with increasing scholarly output, though opportunities exist to expand international collaboration and diversify research formats.
Volume 3.
Issue 2, 2025 Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena Annual Scientific Production in Political Transformation Figure 2: Annual Scientific Production The annual scientific production in political transformation research reveals a dynamic growth line over the decade spanning 2014 to 2023.
Initial output was modest, with 5 articles published in 2014, followed by a slight dip to 3 articles in 2015.
However, a gradual upward trend emerged from 2016 onward, with annual publications rising steadily:
5 articles .
, 8 .
, 11 .
, and stabilizing at 11 articles in 2019.
A significant surge occurred in 2020, with 20 articles publishedAimore than double the previous yearAos outputAilikely reflecting heightened scholarly attention to global political shifts, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, democratic backsliding, or geopolitical realignments.
Post-2020, production remained robust but slightly moderated, with 15 articles in 2021, 15 in 2022, and 14 in 2023, suggesting a consolidation phase or potential saturation in specific subthemes.
The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.
49% .
s noted in prior dat.
underscores the fieldAos rapid expansion, particularly after 2017.
This pattern highlights the growing academic and policy relevance of political transformation studies, with sustained interest in understanding contemporary power dynamics, institutional changes, and societal The dip in 2023 could indicate lagging publication timelines or evolving research priorities, warranting further investigation into emerging frontiers.
Overall, the data illustrates a field in flux, responsive to real-world events and increasingly central to interdisciplinary social science discourse.
International Journal of Humanities.
Education, and Social Sciences Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena Most Relevant Sources in Political Transformation Figure 3: Most Relevant Sources The THEORY AND SOCIETY WORLD DEVELOPMENT as the most prominent sources in political transformation research, each contributing 3 articles to the corpus.
These are followed by eight journals tied at 2 articles each, including Central European Journal of Communication.
Cuestiones Constitucionales.
East European Historical Bulletin.
Economic Annals-XXI.
Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space.
Environmental Science and Policy.
Globalizations, and Journal of Agrarian Change.
The distribution of articles across these sources highlights the multidisciplinary nature of political transformation scholarship, spanning political theory, constitutional studies, economic development, environmental governance, agrarian change, and regional historical dynamics.
Notably, the absence of a single dominant journal .
ith none exceeding 3 article.
suggests a fragmented intellectual landscape, where research is dispersed across niche or interdisciplinary platforms.
The prominence of journals like World Development and Globalizations underscores the fieldAos engagement with global systemic shifts, while region-specific outlets .
East European Historical Bulleti.
reflect localized scholarly attention to political transitions.
This diversity signals both the breadth of the field and potential challenges in synthesizing insights across sub-themes.
The limited concentration of articles per source may also indicate opportunities for future research to consolidate thematic dialogues or establish dedicated platforms for political transformation Volume 3.
Issue 2, 2025 Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena Most Relevant Affiliations in Political Transformation Figure 4: Most Relevant Affiliations The analysis reveals a geographically diverse yet institutionally fragmented landscape of contributions to political transformation research.
Future University in Egypt (FUE) emerges as the most prolific institution, with 5 articles, signaling EgyptAos active scholarly engagement with political change, potentially reflecting regional dynamics such as postArab Spring transitions.
Close behind are University of Manchester and University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) .
articles eac.
, highlighting contributions from Western European institutions, particularly in areas like political ecology, governance, and sustainable development.
A cluster of institutions including Stockholm Environment Institute.
University of Cambridge.
Stockholm University.
Industrial University of Tyumen.
Mariupol State University.
Independent University, and University of Graz each contributed 3 articles, underscoring the global spread of scholarship.
Notably, the inclusion of institutions such as Mariupol State University (Ukrain.
and Industrial University of Tyumen (Russi.
points to academic participation from regions undergoing significant geopolitical upheaval, suggesting localized research on conflict, sovereignty, or institutional The prominence of environmental and sustainability-focused institutions .
BOKU.
Stockholm Environment Institut.
further emphasizes the growing intersection of ecological and political transformation studies.
However, the absence of a dominant institutional leader .
ith no affiliation exceeding 5 article.
reflects a decentralized field, where expertise is distributed across regional hubs and thematic niches.
This distribution may indicate opportunities for fostering cross-institutional collaborations to bridge International Journal of Humanities.
Education, and Social Sciences Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena disciplinary or geographic gaps in understanding political transformationAos multifaceted drivers and impacts.
Countries' Scientific Production in Political Transformation Figure 5: Countries' Scientific Production The scientific production related to political transformation varies across countries, reflecting different research focuses and academic interests.
The United Kingdom leads with 35 publications, indicating a strong scholarly engagement with political change.
Ukraine follows with 22 publications, possibly reflecting its ongoing political dynamics and transformation processes.
The United States and Germany also contribute significantly, with 20 and 19 publications respectively, highlighting their academic influence in political science research.
Poland .
and Austria .
show considerable interest, potentially linked to their historical and contemporary political experiences in Europe.
The Netherlands .
Denmark .
Australia .
, and Sweden .
contribute moderately, reflecting a steady scholarly interest in political transformation themes.
Overall.
European countries dominate the scientific output, showcasing a regional focus on political change and transformation Volume 3.
Issue 2, 2025 Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena Word Cloud in Political Transformation Figure 6: Word Cloud The word cloud for political transformation vividly illustrates the prominence of key themes in the field.
"Sustainability" stands out as the most dominant term, reflecting its central role in discussions about long-term political stability and policy development.
"Political economy" and "governance approach" are also prominently featured, indicating significant academic interest in economic factors and governance structures shaping political change.
The presence of "Poland [Central Europ.
" highlights a regional focus, likely linked to historical and ongoing political transitions in Central Europe.
Other notable terms such as "political change", "political power", and "political system" underscore fundamental concepts in political science.
The inclusion of "democracy", "power relations", and "human" suggests a focus on human-centric political dynamics and democratic governance.
Additionally, terms like "institutional framework", "party politics", and "economic reform" indicate interest in structural and systemic aspects of political transformation.
Overall, the word cloud effectively captures the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of political transformation research, highlighting sustainability, governance, and regional dynamics as pivotal themes.
International Journal of Humanities.
Education, and Social Sciences Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena Thematic Map in Political Transformation Figure 7: Thematic Map The thematic map for political transformation categorizes key themes based on their development degree .
and relevance degree .
, providing insights into their roles within the research domain.
Motor Themes (Top-Right Quadran.
: Motor themes are both well-developed and highly relevant, driving research in political transformation.
The cluster containing "politics", "article", and "human" appears here, indicating that these themes are not only central to the discourse but also robustly studied.
The emphasis on "politics" reflects its foundational role in political transformation studies, while "article" suggests a focus on academic publications and dissemination of knowledge.
"Human" indicates a humancentric approach, potentially exploring how political changes affect societies and Basic Themes (Bottom-Right Quadran.
: Basic themes are highly relevant but less developed, often serving as foundational concepts that need further exploration.
This quadrant features a prominent cluster with "sustainability", "political economy", and "governance approach".
The positioning of "sustainability" suggests its significant relevance to political transformation, aligning with global trends toward sustainable "Political economy" indicates the importance of economic factors in political shifts, while "governance approach" highlights the need for effective governance strategies Volume 3.
Issue 2, 2025 Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena in managing political change.
These themes provide a strong base for future research and practical applications in political studies.
Niche Themes (Top-Left Quadran.
: Niche themes are highly developed but less relevant to the broader discourse.
The map places "agrarian change", "capitalism", and "gender relations" in this quadrant.
These themes are likely specialized topics with deep, focused studies but limited influence on the overall field of political transformation.
"Agrarian change" might relate to rural political dynamics, while "capitalism" could address economic systems' impact on politics.
"Gender relations" reflects a critical but niche perspective, examining how political changes affect gender dynamics within societies.
Emerging or Declining Themes (Bottom-Left Quadran.
: Emerging or declining themes are neither well-developed nor highly relevant, indicating either nascent research areas or topics losing prominence.
The cluster here includes "poland .
entral europ.
", "political change", and "political system".
The presence of "Poland [Central Europ.
" suggests a regional focus that may either be gaining traction or diminishing in relevance.
"Political change" and "political system" as emerging or declining themes indicate evolving interest in systemic and structural aspects of political transformation, possibly influenced by shifting geopolitical contexts.
Transitional Themes (Central Regio.
: The map also shows "comparative study", "developing world", and "political reform" in a transitional space near the center.
These themes act as bridges between basic and motor themes, contributing to the field's "Comparative study" highlights methodological approaches comparing political transformations across different contexts.
"Developing world" underscores a geographical focus, and "political reform" suggests interest in policy changes driving political transformation.
Overall Interpretation The thematic map provides a strategic overview of the political transformation research landscape.
It identifies "politics" and "human" as central drivers of research, emphasizes the potential growth of "sustainability" and "governance approaches", and points to niche opportunities in areas like "gender relations" and "agrarian change".
The positioning of "Poland [Central Europ.
" and related terms as emerging or declining themes signals a need for further investigation into regional political dynamics or a possible International Journal of Humanities.
Education, and Social Sciences Kanshi Prasad Adhikari & Bhanu Timseena shift in research focus.
This map is a valuable tool for researchers aiming to align their work with both established and emerging trends in political transformation studies.
CONCLUSION
This study on political transformation research shows steady growth in scientific production from 2014 to 2023, with a marked increase starting in 2017.
The year 2020 saw the highest surge in publications, likely driven by global events like the COVID-19 pandemic and political shifts.
The analysis of major journals like Theory and Society and World Development reveals the field's diverse interdisciplinary nature, drawing from political theory, governance, economics, and environmental studies.
European countries, particularly the UK and Ukraine, dominate the scientific output, reflecting the regional focus on political change.
Key themes identified through keyword analysis, such as "sustainability", "political economy", and "governance", signal areas of high scholarly The thematic map further categorizes central topics like "politics" and "human", which are key drivers of the research, while niche themes like "agrarian change" and "gender relations" suggest specialized areas of exploration.
This study highlights the growing relevance of political transformation, offering insights into both its established foundations and emerging areas of inquiry.
REFERENCES