Educational Inequality Research: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Networks and Thematic Clusters in Academic Literature

Document Type : research article

Authors

1 Department of Education, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran

2 Department of Information Science and Knowledge Studies, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran.

3 Department of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.

4 Department of Education, Farhangian University,Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Aim: Educational inequality is one of the fundamental challenges of modern societies, significantly impacting learning opportunities and social development. This study employs a bibliometric approach to examine the trends in scientific production, leading journals, prolific researchers, international collaborations, and thematic developments in educational inequality research.
Methodology: This study utilizes bibliometric analysis and network analysis methods. Data related to scientific articles on educational inequality were extracted from reputable databases, and co-word analysis and scientific collaboration tools were employed to analyze the research structure in this field.
Results: The results indicate a continuous increase in the number of published articles on educational inequality. Leading journals such as British Journal of Sociology of Education and PLOS ONE have had the greatest impact in this field. Researchers from European and North American countries have the highest levels of scientific production and collaboration. Thematic analysis revealed that economic inequality, digital divide, and social justice are dominant topics in this domain.
Conclusions and suggestions: The findings suggest that focusing on equitable educational policies and advancing educational technologies to reduce the digital divide is of critical importance. Future studies are recommended to examine the impact of macro-educational policies on reducing inequality.
Innovation and originality: By utilizing bibliometric and network analysis methods, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the research trends in educational inequality, aiding policymakers and researchers in developing effective strategies.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Abbasi, R., Abbasi, E., Izanloo, B., & Geramipour, M. (2024). Investigating the relationship between contextual factors and academic achievement of fourth-grade students: A mixed-methods study with Iranian TIMSS 2019 data. Journal of Research and Innovation in Education and Development, 4(2), 16-38.  https://doi.org/10.61838/jsied.4.2.2 [In Persian]
Agranovich, M., & Dreneva, A. (2021). How are the characteristics of national educational systems related to social inequality?. The Education and science journal. https://doi.org/10.17853/1994-5639-2021-9-81-114.
Aria, M., & Cuccurullo, C. (2017). bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 11(4), 959–975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2017.08.007
Asareh, F., Soheili, F., & Mansouri, A. (2014). Scientometrics and information visualization. Isfahan: University of Isfahan. [In Persian]
Brown, R. (2018). Higher education and inequality. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 22, 37 - 43. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2017.1375442.
Checchi, D., & Werfhorst, H. (2014). Educational Policies and Income Inequality. Microeconomics: Welfare Economics & Collective Decision-Making eJournal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2450413.
Ebrahimi, F., & Asadnia, A. (2022). A scientometric analysis of foresight articles published in Iranian scientific journals. Defensive Foresight, 7(27), 35–62. https://doi.org/10.22034/dfsr.2023.560108.1634 [In Persian]
EcoIran. (2023). Seasonal inflation in education hit a record; Is educational inequality increasing? Retrieved from https://ecoiran.com [In Persian]
Evans, D., Akmal, M., & Jakiela, P. (2021). Gender gaps in education: The long view. IZA Journal of Development and Migration, 12. https://doi.org/10.2478/izajodm-2021-0001.
Geven, K., & Herbaut, E. (2019). What Works to Reduce Inequality in Higher Education?. International Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.6017/ihe.2019.99.11649.
Gong, J., Lu, Y., & Song, H. (2017). The Effect of Teacher Gender on Students’ Academic and Noncognitive Outcomes. Journal of Labor Economics, 36, 743 - 778. https://doi.org/10.1086/696203.
Heydarzadegan, A. R., & Sandoughdaran, M. H. (2017). Educational opportunities for nomadic students in Sistan and Baluchestan Province: (Equal or unequal). Journal of Educational Planning Studies, 6(11), 160-175. https://doi.org/10.22080/eps.2017.1725 [In Persian]
Hu, C. P. , Hu, J. M. , Deng, S. L. & Liu, Y. (2013). A co-word analysis of Library and Information Science in China. Scientometrics, 97(2), 369- 382. DOI 10.1007/s11192-013-1076-7
Ioannidis, J. P., Boyack, K. W., & Baas, J. (2020). Updated science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators. PLoS biology, 18(10), e3000918. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000918
Islamic Parliament Research Center. (2023). Report on educational inequality and the effects of inflation. Retrieved from https://rc.majlis.ir [In Persian]
Kuppens, T., Spears, R., Manstead, A., Spruyt, B., & Easterbrook, M. (2017). Educationism and the irony of meritocracy: negative attitudes of higher educated people towards the less educated. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 76, 429-447. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JESP.2017.11.001.
Lu, S. (2022). Correlation between Educational Inequality and Income Inequality. BCP Education & Psychology. https://doi.org/10.54691/bcpep.v7i.2694.
Lucas, S., & Byrne, D. (2017). Effectively Maintained Inequality in Education. American Behavioral Scientist, 61, 3 - 7. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764216682992.
Machin, S. (2011). Education and Inequality. , 272-281. https://doi.org/10.1093/OXFORDHB/9780199606061.013.0017.
Marks, G. (2005). Cross-National Differences and Accounting for Social Class Inequalities in Education. International Sociology, 20, 483 - 505. https://doi.org/10.1177/0268580905058328.
Najjari, M., & Hassani, M. (2019). Analysis inequality of higher education access opportunities (case study: Townships of west Azerbaijan). Journal of Educational Planning Studies, 7(14), 76-96. https://doi.org/10.22080/eps.1970.2126 [In Persian]
OECD. (2017). Educational opportunity for all: Overcoming inequality throughout the life course. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264287457-en
Opoku-Asare, N., & Siaw, A. (2015). Rural–Urban Disparity in Students’ Academic Performance in Visual Arts Education. SAGE Open, 5. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244015612523.
Reardon, S. F. (2018). The widening academic achievement gap between the rich and the poor. In Social stratification (pp. 536-550). Routledge.
Schnepf, S., Klinger, D., Volante, L., & Jerrim, J. (2019). Cross-National Trends in Addressing Socioeconomic Inequality in Education. Socioeconomic Inequality and Student Outcomes. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9863-6_12.
Su, Y.-S., Lin, C.-L., Chen, S.-Y. and Lai, C.-F. (2020), "Bibliometric study of social network analysis literature", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 38 No. 2, pp. 420-433. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-01-2019-0028
Taghavian, N. , Taherikia, H. and Poormirghaffari, M. (2018). The gender encountering situations in the university and their miseries. Quarterly Journal of Research and Planning in Higher Education, 24(2), 135-159. [In Persian] https://journal.irphe.ac.ir/article_702953.html
UNESCO. (2018). Global education monitoring report 2019: Migration, displacement and education—Building bridges, not walls. UNESCO Publishing. https://doi.org/10.54676/XDZD4287
UNESCO. (2021). Education: From disruption to recovery. UNESCO.  https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse
UNESCO. (2023). Global education monitoring report, 2023: technology in education: a tool on whose terms?, UNESCO Publishing. https://doi.org/10.54676/UZQV8501
van Dijk, J. (2020). The digital divide. John Wiley & Sons. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology. 72(1):136-138. DOI:10.1002/asi.24355
Van Lancker, W., & Parolin, Z. (2020). COVID-19, school closures, and child poverty: A social crisis in the making. PLOS ONE, 15(7), e0234048. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234048
Yang, J., Huang, X., & Liu, X. (2014). An analysis of education inequality in China. International Journal of Educational Development, 37, 2-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJEDUDEV.2014.03.002.
Young, D. (1998). Rural and Urban Differences in Student Achievement in Science and Mathematics: A Multilevel Analysis.. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 9, 386-418. https://doi.org/10.1080/0924345980090403.
Zhang, Y., Qin, F., & Liu, J. (2019). Improving education equality and quality: Evidence from a natural experiment in China. International Journal of Educational Development. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJEDUDEV.2019.102078.
Journal of Educational Planning Studies
Volume 14, Issue 27
September 2025
Pages 146-169

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 07 April 2025
  • Revise Date: 22 May 2025
  • Accept Date: 27 May 2025

Share

How to cite

Statistics