Measuring internationalisation of book publications in the
Social Sciences and
Humanities
The barycentre method
Frederik Verleysen & Tim Engels
Ecoom-Antwerpen, 7 mei 2013

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
2

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?
3

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?
4

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
5

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
6

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
7

Results 1: all disciplines, 2002-2011
8

Results 1: 16 SSH disciplines
Psychology
Comm .
studies
Political Science
Theology
History Linguistics
9

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
10

-1
Flanders
-0,5
Results 2: aggregated SSH
Cont. EUR
0
02-03
04-05
06-07 08-09
10-11
0,5 1
US UK
11

-1
Flanders
Results 2: aggregated SS + H
Cont. EUR
H 02-06
H 07-11
-0,5 0 SS 02-06 0,5
SS 07-11
1
US UK
12

-1
Flanders
US
Results 2: 16 SSH Disciplines
Cont. EUR
Theology
Archeology
Literature
Linguistics
History
Art History
Philosophy
Humanities
Criminology
Educational Studies
-0,5 0
Social Health
Sciences
0,5
Sociology
Law
Social Sciences
Communication St.
1
Psychology
Econ.&Business
Political Science
UK
13

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

• 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
15

• Evolution of barycentre location: more detail
(e.g. per discipline)
• Differences between monographs, edited books, chapters?
• Are barycentres for books related to publisher types?
16

17