Bibliometric analysis of gender research in the social sciences in post-soviet countries

Abstract

This study aims to comprehend the development of gender research in post-Soviet nations using a descriptive bibliometric method and metadata derived from 2822 articles indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection database for 1993–2021. The investigation showed that, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, there has been a noticeable increase in gender research and publications, especially between 2017 and 2021. Nevertheless, the post-Soviet nations have made a negligible contribution to worldwide gender research. Among post-Soviet republics, gender research is most advanced in Russia, Estonia, and Ukraine, whereas Caucasus and Central Asian nations—with the exception of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan—contribute to a lesser extent. While post-Soviet scholars are increasingly working together on research projects, most of them do so domestically, with authors from the same institutions and nations. Very few authors work across post-Soviet republics or beyond. Post-Soviet gender research covers a wide range of themes; the majority of articles are published in the behavioral and psychological sciences, but gender research in political economy and sociology is still in way to grow.