Mahmut Cihat İzgi

African Studies grapple with numerous structural issues, including epistemic inequalities, power dynamics, and marginalisation in knowledge production. This study aims to examine the root causes and dimensions of these imbalances by analysing bibliometric data from the journal Africa Spectrum between 2009 and 2023, using it as a case study to explore broader trends and challenges in African Studies. It highlights critical inequalities, such as the limited representation of Africa-centred perspectives, the low visibility of women authors, and the thematic focus of the literature on Western-centric topics. Data sourced from the Scopus database were analysed using tools like VOSviewer and Excel, focusing on author profiles, citation patterns, keywords, countries, institutions, and funding structures. The findings reveal that only 32% of the authors are African, women authors represent a mere 27%, and the literature predominantly revolves around Western-centric themes such as crisis, conflict, and governance. Additionally, the dominance of Western-based institutions and funding sources underscores the continued dependency of Africa-centred knowledge production on external factors. These results emphasise the historical reproduction of power imbalances within African Studies, constraining Africa’s intellectual autonomy. By critically analysing the structural issues in African Studies, this study highlights the necessity for more inclusive and Africa-centred knowledge production processes.

Early Islam, spanning its nascent centuries from the early 7th century, encompasses a pivotal epoch covering the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, the establishment of Islamic principles, the codification of the Qur’ān, and the evolution of Islamic law and theological thought. This article outlines the findings of a pioneering bibliometric analysis of 764 high-value articles on early Islam from the Web of Science (WoS) database and unveils critical trends. This study, which notably highlights increased academic activities, particularly interdisciplinary expansion into archaeology and related fields, demonstrates a contemporary upsurge in scholarly engagement within humanities and social sciences. Global contributions from 60 countries, led by the USA, showcase an international landscape, and English emerges as the predominant language. (Der) Islam-Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Kultur des Islamischen Orients and Journal of Archaeological Science Reports stand out as the most prolific journals across all fields, followed by Journal of Archaeological Science. This highlights the growing significance of archaeology in the research on early Islam. The top authors with the most publications N. Schibille, I. Taxel, and G. Bar-oz and most cited authors I. C. Freestone, J. Henderson, and Y. Avni shape the field. Financial support from organizations like the European Research Council (ERC), the Spanish Government and the Israel Science Foundation signals strategic investments in Islamic studies. Lastly, a keyword analysis emphasizes prevalent themes, such as Islam, early Islam, early Islamic period, and Qur’ān, providing a concise snapshot of the field’s contemporary focus. These insights underscore the rising international importance of Islamic research. Recognizing the limitations of the present study, this bibliometric analysis offers a foundational framework for future research by inspiring further scholarly exploration of emerging trends and thematic gaps in the field. Similar content being viewed by others