Knowledge Production Patterns of Environmental Sociology: A Bibliometric Analysis of Top Journals of Sociology
Abstract
Sociology’s inability to symmetrically produce knowledge across its sub disciplines has often been under investigation to highlight the academic marginalization of important social issues. This study investigates how the top journals of Sociology have been treating the issue of Environment since 1990s. The published content of six high impact factor journals of Sociology was bibliometrically analyzed for the authorship patterns, methodological, thematic and geographic focus of the environmental issues. By analyzing total of 203 articles focusing environmental issues, we found a perpetual increase in environmental articles over time, with geographic focus on European and United States’ environmental issues, and a methodological divide between qualitative and quantitative methods. The study concludes that environmental Sociology, despite being an important sub discipline of Sociology has failed to attract high proportion of publications in top Sociology journals, which may undermine its academic worth.
Authors
Ijaz Ali
Research Scholar, Department of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan
Dr. Imran Sabir
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan
Dr. Inam Ullah Leghari
Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan