A Bibliometric Analysis of Social Identity Theory in Radicalization Research

Radicalization, spurred by early-2000s terrorist attacks, has intensified research interest. Scholars increasingly explore social identity theory to understand identity's role in this societal concern. This article examines the intellectual structure, development, and emerging trends in social identity theory and radicalization research utilizing bibliometric analyses, a statistical method to conduct literature reviews that uses quantitative analysis to study bibliographic data patterns. Three studies leveraged VOSviewer to conduct a bibliometric analysis of 2,990 articles, providing the first comprehensive review of this multidisciplinary domain. Study 1 revealed nine interconnected clusters, focusing on diverse topics such as political radicalization, terrorism, and the psychosocial causes of radicalization. Study 2 highlighted U.S. dominance in the field and underscored international collaboration's significance. Study 3 identified emerging trends such as populism, prevention, and social media, suggesting future research directions. Practitioners and academics would benefit from a more centralized body of knowledge and a deeper understanding of the transdisciplinary evolution of radicalization research, which could, in turn, enhance the quality of future studies and strengthen preventive efforts-ultimately supporting global peacebuilding initiatives.