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African scholars remain underrepresented in top political science journals

A man in a brown blazer and pink shirt sits at a wooden desk writing in an open book in a modern library, with shelves of books visible behind him and another person browsing shelves in the background.
Pexels • cottonbro studio · Pexels License
Research area:Social SciencesPolitical Science and International Relationsscientometrics and bibliometrics research

What the study found

African and Africa-based scholars are systematically underrepresented in the top 20 political science journals and among the most influential authors today. Their influence rose from a low base between 2000 and 2010, but it has declined substantially since then.

What the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that the decline is linked to rising competition in top political science journals and to the growing citation rates of non-African and non-Africa-based scholars. They say the findings have broader implications for political science and recommend greater inclusivity and pluralism.

What the researchers tested

The study used a citation network approach to examine how the subfield of African politics has evolved since its emergence in the late 1950s. It focused on the influence of African and Africa-based scholars in the top 20 political science journals.

What worked and what didn't

The analysis found increasing influence for African and Africa-based scholars between 2000 and 2010. It also found that, since then, their influence has fallen substantially, while non-African and non-Africa-based scholars have received more citations in leading journals. The abstract does not report other outcomes.

What to keep in mind

The abstract does not provide details on the full dataset, specific journal list, or how influence was measured beyond the citation network approach. It also does not state limitations beyond the scope of the study.

Key points

  • African and Africa-based scholars were systematically underrepresented in the top 20 political science journals.
  • Their influence increased between 2000 and 2010, starting from a low base.
  • Their influence has declined substantially since 2010.
  • The authors link the decline to more competitive top journals and to higher citation rates for non-African scholars.
  • The authors recommend greater inclusivity and pluralism in political science.

Disclosure

Research title:
African scholars remain underrepresented in top political science journals
Publication date:
2026-04-08
DOI:
10.1017/s1049096526102029
OpenAlex record:
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Image credit:
Pexels • cottonbro studio · Pexels License
AI provenance: AI provenance information is not available for this post.

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