University of Sussex
Browse

File(s) not publicly available

Network structure, self-organization and the growth of international collaboration in science

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 10:17 authored by Loet Leydesdorff, Caroline S Wagner
Different approaches have been used to analyse international collaboration in science but none can fully explain its rapid growth. Using international co-authorships, we test the hypothesis that international collaboration is a self-organising network. Applying tools from network analysis, the paper shows that the growth of international co-authorships can be explained based on the organising principle of preferential attachment, although the attachment mechanism deviates from an ideal power-law. Several explanations for the deviation are explored, including that of the influence of institutional constraints on the mechanism of self-organisation.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Research Policy

ISSN

0048-7333

Publisher

Elsevier

Issue

10

Volume

34

Page range

1608-1618

Pages

11.0

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications

Notes

The growth of international collaboration in science is well attested empirically, but few of the extant theoretical explanations can be accepted on the basis of the evidence to hand. This paper conceives of such international collaboration as a `self-organising system¿, and applies network theory ¿ specifically the concept of `preferential attachment¿ ¿ to account for the phenomenon. Testing the theory involved innovative bibliometric work. Responsibility for the paper was shared 50/50, with Prof Leydesdorff supplying the main motivation.

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-20

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC