Measuring internationalisation of book

publications in the Social Sciences and HumanitiesThe barycentre method

Frederik Verleysen & Tim EngelsEcoom-Antwerpen, 7 mei 2013

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Overview• Introduction: internationalisation of publishing in

the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH)

• Data on book publications in the VABB-SSH & the barycentre method

• Results: 2 variants

• Conclusions

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Internationalisation of SSH research

• Growing internationalisation of journal articles as measured by:- Increasing use of English- More publishing in WoS-journals- Growing international collaboration

• Unknown territory: internationalisation of SSH book publishing?

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Book publications in the VABB-SHW• Since 2010: VABB-SHW database, covering all

‘Flemish’ SSH publications since 2000

• Included peer reviewed book publications:- Monographs: 401- Edited books: 762- Book chapters: 3977

? -> How to measure internationalisation?

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The barycentre Method• barycentre = geographic centre of weight or

the imaginary point at which a flat, weightless but stiff map of the world would balance if weights of identical value were placed on it so that each weight represented the place of publication of one monograph, edited book or book chapter• here: distance to Flanders of barycentres of

places of publication

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The barycentre Method• Calculation = weighted average of geographic

coordinates of places of publication

- Variant 1: geographic coordinates on an actual map of the world

- Variant 2: coordinates of vertices in a standardised polygon, whereby each vertex represents a geographic location

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Results: variant 1• Variant 1 = geographic coordinates on Google

Maps using the open software GIS-tool Geocommons.com

• On the map (next slide):- A: barycentre 2002-2003 - X: barycentre 5 univs.- B: barycentre 2004-2005- C: barycentre 2006-2007- D: barycentre 2008-2009- E: barycentre 2010-2011

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Results 1: all disciplines, 2002-2011

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Results 1: 16 SSH disciplines

PsychologyPolitical Science

Comm. studies

Linguistics

Theology

History

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Results: variant 2• Variant 2 = abstract representation in a

polygon (rectangle), the 4 vertices representing:- Flanders- Elsewhere on the European continent- The UK- The US

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Results 2: aggregated SSH

-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1

02-03

04-05 06-07 08-0910-11

Flanders Cont. EUR

US UK

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Results 2: aggregated SS + H

-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1

SS 07-11

SS 02-06

H 02-06H 07-11

Flanders Cont. EUR

US UK

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Results 2: 16 SSH Disciplines

-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1

Social Sciences

Humanities

Psychology

Social Health Sciences

Educational Studies

Communication St.

Political Science

Sociology

Econ.&Business

Art History

PhilosophyHistory

Law

Literature

Criminology

TheologyArcheology

Linguistics

Flanders Cont. EUR

US UK

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ConclusionsDISCIPLINES

FL+EU bookpubs

UK bookpubs

Total bookpub

sFL+EU-

UK (0-1)Psychology (SS) 16 64 80 0,80Political Science (SS) 52 200 252 0,79Economics and Business (SS) 91 237 328 0,72Communication Studies (H) 35 57 92 0,62Sociology (SS) 62 79 141 0,56(…)Archeology (H) 51 9 60 0,15Literature (H) 533 72 605 0,12Theology (H) 612 39 651 0,06All SS 349 416 765 0,54All H 2881 934 3815 0,24All disciplines 3230 1350 4580 0,29

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Conclusions• Barycentre method is a rarely used but useful

way to visualise internationalisation of book publishing

• Results show an increasing weight of continental European and UK-based publishers for SSH books by Flemish scholars

• Results show stronger international orientation for the SS, but a stronger evolution over time on the part of the H

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Further research• Evolution of barycentre location: more detail

(e.g. per discipline)• Differences between monographs, edited

books, chapters?• Are barycentres for books related to publisher

types?

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