Global Knowledge Production Research Articles

Is Chinese IR Scholarship White? A Non-Dichotomous Critique of ‘The International as Singular, Enlightened and Sanitised’

Most Western IR theories – mainstream and critical alike – share an implicit Western-centric belief of the constitution and drivers for global development (towards modernity), whereas an emerging trend of literature criticizes such an assumption as epistemic whiteness. Examining global IR knowledge production beyond the Euro-American academia, this article proposes a non-dichotomous framework of critique. It centres around three interrelated conceptual modes of dichotomy, linearity and denialism, which correspond to three epistemological markers as the logics of existence, development and resistance. Mainland Chinese Sinophone International Relations (IR) scholarship on Sino-African relations is examined against this framework. The analysis demonstrates that, under the heavy influence of modernist worldviews, Sino-centric versions of dichotomy, linearity and denialism can be reproduced among academic works that are intentionally produced to resist epistemic whiteness. This poses critical questions on the applicability of epistemic whiteness as a term to capture the full dynamics. This article thus proposes an alternative term, the international as singular, enlightened and sanitized, to represent this problematic ontological imagination of the international. It calls for global IR scholars to exercise greater reflexivity towards an unproblematic acceptance and internalized appreciation of modernity as the endgame of history.

Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning in Stock Prediction: A Bibliometric Review

Artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning (DL) are advancing in stock market prediction, attracting the attention of researchers in computer science and finance. This bibliometric review analyzes 525 articles published from 1991 to 2024 in Scopus-indexed journals, utilizing VOSviewer software to identify key research trends, influential contributors, and burgeoning themes. The bibliometric analysis encompasses a performance analysis of the most prominent scientific contributors and a network analysis of scientific mapping, which includes co-authorship, co-occurrence, citation, bibliographical coupling, and co-citation analyses enabled by the VOSviewer software. Among the 693 countries, significant hubs of knowledge production include China, the US, India, and the UK, highlighting the global relevance of the field. Various AI and DL technologies are increasingly employed in stock price predictions, with artificial neural networks (ANN) and other methods such as long short-term memory (LSTM), Random Forest, Sentiment Analysis, Support Vector Machine/Regression (SVM/SVR), among the 1399 keyword counts in publications. Influential studies such as LeBaron (1999) and Moghaddam (2016) have shaped foundational research in 8159 citations. This review offers original insights into the bibliometric landscape of AI and DL applications in finance by mapping global knowledge production and identifying critical AI methods advancing stock market prediction. It enables finance professionals to learn about technological developments and trends to enhance decision-making and gain market advantage.

Neocolonialism and science diplomacy: lessons learned from the field and the way forward

To level the playing field in the production of global knowledge, we need to understand the practical implications of colonial heritage and how it has disproportionately affected scientific discourse and the generation and utilization of scientific knowledge from and about the Global South. This article explores how research practitioners can level the playing field. We must think about how we can collectively change the narrative so that every emerging scientist from the Global South can flourish and have an equal opportunity to conduct research that is meaningful to them and their societies. We argue the time has come for innovative and flexible models allowing science diplomacy to integrate features of reflexive and inclusive governance in its very core structures.

The Rise of Global Health Emergency Governance

AbstractIn this paper I shed new light on contemporary developments in global health governance, policymaking, and knowledge production. Specifically, by investigating the historical roots and emergence of global health emergency governance. Drawing on the Foucauldian notion of “problematisation” and on Science and Technology Studies of disaster, I trace, examine, and elucidate three main axes through which, I argue, health emergencies became a problem of global governance. I show, first, the formation of emergency management as a distinct professional field. Second, the migration of emergency management into global health governance and its proliferation within it. And third, the move from global health emergency management to the global governance of health emergencies. Overall, I suggest the rise of global health emergency governance provides crucial context for understanding social, political, and epistemic tensions and controversies in health emergencies such as COVID-19. Through the analysis, I identify a particular rationale that is rooted in emergency management and had become embedded in global health emergency governance. A rationale that involves “temporal compression” and “structural plasticity.” I discuss possible implications of this rationale for global health governance, policy, and knowledge.

Slow resistance: Feminist and queer activism in ‘illiberal’ contexts

In recent years in China, NGO activism, street gatherings, and the direct expression of gender and sexual rights have been curtailed, yet paradoxically, online feminist expression and organizing, as well as gay visibility, are happening on an unprecedented scale. Inspired by the notions of slow violence and slow hope, this article proposes the concept of slow resistance in relation to ‘illiberalism’ to think through this paradox. Analyzing recent rich and multifaceted, yet often overlooked, feminist activism in China as an example of slow resistance, the article considers slow resistance in ‘illiberal’ contexts as characterized by its context-dependent (in)visibility due to censorship and limitations in global knowledge production and information circulation. Furthermore, slow resistance can be used to understand activism on a global and transnational scale, beyond the oversimplified liberal/illiberal binary. This binary often fails to capture the complexity of political shifts and social changes within ‘illiberal’ contexts. Moreover, the concept of slow resistance challenges the understanding of power solely as state power and resistance solely as opposition to state power. Developing the concept within feminist activism also highlights the importance of gender and sexual politics in understanding social and political change. Slow resistance offers an indeterminate temporality of resistance that challenges narratives of progress in modernization projects and narratives of decline and despair often associated with ‘illiberal states.’ It is important to note that an excessive emphasis on state oppression or illiberal tendencies may paradoxically hinder, rather than facilitate, the potential for (slow) resistance in such contexts.

Revisiting directionality in China's “outward translation”

AbstractDirectionality in translation traditionally refers to whether translation occurs from the translator's second language into their first or vice versa. This paper seeks to broaden the concept of directionality in translation by examining China's “outward translation” (i.e., the translation of works for readers outside of China), and goes beyond linguistic inquiries to encompass multifaceted dimensions related to global cultural exchange. By exploring outward translation within the Chinese context, this study contends that research on directionality should transcend mere linguistic considerations and embrace a more comprehensive analysis. Drawing insights from the Chinese perspective and employing a spatial conceptualization, this paper posits that outward translation operates within a dialogical space characterized by mutual exchange and engagement between the source culture and the target culture. Within this dynamic space, translation agents (including translators, publishers, patrons, and so on) from both source and target cultures interact, fostering reciprocal relationships and facilitating cultural dialogue. In conclusion, the paper argues that outward translation should be better defined and understood as an area of research with the potential to address the imbalanced global translation flows from English to other less‐translated languages, thereby facilitating more diverse and inclusive global knowledge production and dissemination.

Whither “African Economics” Imaginaries? Eleven Precepts on Its (Im)possibility

Africa has historically occupied, and remains almost fixed at, the fringes of global knowledge production. Its battle to recover itself amid the stacks of epistemic injustices heaped on it, especially by its encounters with slavery and colonialism, rages on. Despite this grim picture, this article shows that, more recently, African Psychology has somewhat claimed its rightful place as an academic field within some leading universities in Africa. The absence of a deliberate and active disciplinary push or sustained contestations in economics on the continent is the key lacuna spotlighted in this article. However, I recognise that deciding whether African Economics is necessary must involve the mobilisation of the grit and talents of all academic economists on the continent as well as other geographies. This notwithstanding, and to foreshadow likelihoods, I imagine via this article what an erstwhile elusive African Economics might comprise. I do this by outlining and discussing eleven precepts that might serve as pointers to herald it. These precepts have multifarious implications for training and research in economics, especially in African universities, which are briskly expounded.

Transnational and Decolonial Feminist Insights Into the Neoliberalization of Estonian Academia

Since the 1990s Estonia has been characterized by the acceptance of neoliberal values, as an antidote to the Soviet past. Neoliberal practices, like quantification and market- orientation, have permeated most spheres of society, including academia. There has been very little critical reflection on the epistemic inequalities created by this academic model for Estonia as a semi-peripheral country. In this article, the authors aim to place the neoliberalization of academia within a broader framework of colonial practices within global knowledge production, continuing their previous work on the blind spots of transnational feminism and intersections of feminisms and neoliberalism. Building on insights developed within transnational and decolonial feminism, the authors propose three interventions into neoliberal academic culture: telling better stories, practicing slow scholarship to tease apart complex colonial entanglements and using creative writing practices.

Navigating the Global Landscape: Dynamics and Impacts of Internationalization in Higher Education

The internationalization of higher education stands as a multifaceted phenomenon characterized by a myriad of driving forces, mechanisms, and consequential impacts. This paper seeks to elucidate the intricate nature of this global trend, exploring its diverse dimensions and evaluating its implications for institutions, stakeholders, and the broader socio-economic landscape. Central to the discourse on internationalization is the evolution of higher education in response to globalization. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, institutions of higher learning face growing imperatives to engage in cross-border collaborations, foster cultural diversity, and prepare students for a globally interconnected workforce. The paper navigates through the underlying rationales propelling this transformation, shedding light on the economic, social, and academic motivations that drive institutions towards internationalization strategies. The mechanisms facilitating internationalization manifest through a spectrum of initiatives, including but not limited to student mobility programs, collaborative research ventures, cross-border partnerships, and curriculum internationalization. This paper delves into the efficacy of these strategies, evaluating their impact on enhancing academic quality, fostering intercultural competencies, and promoting knowledge exchange across borders. Furthermore, it examines the challenges and opportunities inherent in implementing these mechanisms, considering issues of equity, linguistic diversity, and varying academic standards across regions. A critical aspect of internationalization is its impact on stakeholders within higher education. Faculty members, administrators, and students experience a transformed academic landscape as they engage in global collaborations, navigate diverse cultural contexts, and adapt pedagogical approaches to accommodate internationalized curricula. This paper assesses the roles and experiences of these stakeholders, exploring how they contribute to and are affected by the internationalization agenda. While acknowledging the transformative potential of internationalization, this paper critically examines its limitations and ethical considerations. It addresses issues of cultural hegemony, power imbalances in global knowledge production, and the commodification of education. Moreover, it discusses the potential for unintended consequences, such as brain drain from developing countries and the commercialization of higher education. In conclusion, this paper synthesizes the complexities of internationalization in higher education, offering insights into its multifaceted nature, driving forces, operational mechanisms, and far-reaching implications. By providing a nuanced understanding of this phenomenon, it aims to inform policy discussions, guide institutional strategies, and stimulate further scholarly inquiry into the evolving landscape of higher education in a globalized world. Received: 25 December 2023 / Accepted: 25 February 2024 / Published: 23 April 2024

Doxa in international research collaboration: a critical collaborative autoethnographic account

ABSTRACT Funders are increasingly requiring international collaboration for research projects and such projects add to the reputation, rankings and research gravitas of institutions and individual researchers alike. The power asymmetries in global knowledge production means that international research collaboration comes with a range of taken-for-granted and unquestioned rules and rituals. These have become naturalized in international research collaboration and shape researcher identity, development and career progression. In this paper, we operationalize the term ‘doxa’ as a methodological tool through a critical collaborative autoethnography to examine how researchers negotiate the opportunities, tensions, and power struggles emerging from their varying possession of symbolic capital and (dis)positions in a globalized research landscape. In doing so, the paper considers how global power structures play out in individuals’ lives and identities, and suggest that international research collaboration contributes to the reproduction of inequalities in the highly competitive and unequal field of academic research.

ChatGPT and accounting in African contexts: Amplifying epistemic injustice

Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT are likely to amplify epistemic injustice through the lack of transparency and traceability of data sources. The unethical alienation of original knowledge producers from their intellectual products, which are repackaged by LLMs as artificial intelligence, conceals power asymmetries in the global knowledge production and dissemination system. As elaborated by Miranda Fricker (2010), Western White male actors traditionally dominate knowledge production; therefore, ChatGPT and other LLMs are inclined to reproduce patriarchal perspectives as universal understandings of the World. Our commentary applies this logic to accounting practice and research in Africa, and asserts that epistemic injustice, resulting from colonization and racism, means that ontological and epistemological approaches situated in the accounting needs and experiences of African communities are missing from or poorly articulated by ChatGPT and other LLMs. If LLMs are to attain legitimacy as (ethical) sources of knowledge, regulation must be enforced to ensure transparency—as a foundation for promoting pluriversality and eliminating epistemic injustice.

Human innovation and the creative agency of the world in the age of generative AI

With the advent of Large Language Models, such as ChatGPT, and, more generally, generative AI/cognitive technologies, global knowledge production faces a critical systemic challenge. It results from continuously feeding back non- or poorly-creative copies of itself into the global knowledge base; in the worst case, this could not only lead to a stagnation of creative, reliable, and valid knowledge generation, but also have an impact on our material (and subsequently our social) world and how it will be shaped by these rather uninspired automatized knowledge dynamics. More than ever, there appears to be an imperative to bring the creative human agent back into the loop. Arguments from the perspectives of 4E- and Material Engagement Theory approaches to cognition, human-technology relations as well as possibility studies will be used to show that being embodied, sense-making, and enacting the world by proactively and materially interacting with it are key ingredients for any kind of knowledge and meaning production. It will be shown that taking seriously the creative agency of the world, an engaged epistemology, as well as making use of future potentials/possibilities complemented and augmented by cognitive technologies are all essential for re-introducing profound novelty and creativity.

Is qualitative social research in global health fulfilling its potential?: a systematic evidence mapping of research on point-of-care testing in low- and middle-income contexts

BackgroundQualitative social research has made valuable contributions to understanding technology-based interventions in global health. However, we have little evidence of who is carrying out this research, where, how, for what purpose, or the overall scope of this body of work. To address these questions, we undertook a systematic evidence mapping of one area of technology-focused research in global health, related to the development, deployment and use of point-of-care tests (POCTs) for low-and middle-income countries (LMICs).MethodsWe conducted an exhaustive search to identify papers reporting on primary qualitative studies that explore the development, deployment, and use of POCTs in LMICs and screened results to identify studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted from included studies and descriptive analyses were conducted.ResultsOne hundred thirty-eight studies met our inclusion criteria, with numbers increasing year by year. Funding of studies was primarily credited to high income country (HIC)-based institutions (95%) and 64% of first authors were affiliated with HIC-based institutions. Study sites, in contrast, were concentrated in a small number of LMICs. Relatively few studies examined social phenomena related to POCTs that take place in HICs. Seventy-one percent of papers reported on studies conducted within the context of a trial or intervention. Eighty percent reported on studies considering POCTs for HIV and/or malaria. Studies overwhelmingly reported on POCT use (91%) within primary-level health facilities (60%) or in hospitals (30%) and explored the perspectives of the health workforce (70%).ConclusionsA reflexive approach to the role, status, and contribution of qualitative and social science research is crucial to identifying the contributions it can make to the production of global health knowledge and understanding the roles technology can play in achieving global health goals. The body of qualitative social research on POCTs for LMICs is highly concentrated in scope, overwhelmingly focuses on testing in the context of a narrow number of donor-supported initiatives and is driven by HIC resources and expertise. To optimise the full potential of qualitative social research requires the promotion of open and just research ecosystems that broaden the scope of inquiry beyond established public health paradigms and build social science capacity in LMICs.

Understanding the growing contributions of China to leading international higher education journals

AbstractInternational publications in social sciences by scholars based in mainland China have been increasing in volume, but little is known about the characteristics of China’s contribution. This study examines the characteristics and patterns of international publications by Chinese scholars in higher education research. Data from three internationalized higher education journals were analyzed from 2000 to 2022. The results show a consistent pattern of continuous growth in the annual number of published articles with Chinese affiliations, with a marked increase since 2016. International collaborations are the most common type of publication, a pattern that contrasts with other articles in the same journal. In addition, returnee scholars have made significant contributions to international publications. Finally, the research of Chinese scholars is as influential as that of their international peers in terms of citation counts. These findings highlight the constrained agency of Chinese actors in the center-periphery structure of the global knowledge production networks.

Geographical and gender inequalities in health sciences studies: testing differences in research productivity, impact and visibility

PurposeGender and geographical imbalance in production and impact levels is a pressing issue in global knowledge production. Within Health Sciences, while some studies found stark gender and geographical biases and inequalities, others found little empirical evidence of this marginalization. The purpose of the study is to clear the ambiguity concerning the topic.Design/methodology/approachBased on a comprehensive and systematic analysis of Health Sciences research data downloaded from the Scival (Scopus/Scimago) database from 2017 to 2020 (n = 7,990), this study first compares gender representation in research productivity, as well as differences in terms of citation per document, citations per document view and view per document scores according to geographical location. Additionally, the study clarifies whether there is a geographic bias in productivity and impact measures (i.e. citation per document, citations per document view and view per document) moderated by gender.FindingsResults indicate that gender inequalities in productivity are systematic at the overall disciplinary, as well as the subfield levels. Findings also suggest statistically significant geographical differences in citation per document, citations per document view, and view per document scores, and interaction effect of gender over the relation between geography and (1) the number of citations per view and (2) the number of views per document.Originality/valueThis study contributes to scientometric studies in health sciences by providing insightful findings about the geographical and gender bias in productivity and impact across world regions.

Understanding human participant research ethics: The perspectives of social scientists in Central Asia

Central Asian (CA) countries have been actively developing their research and knowledge production systems. However, inconsistent alignment with international research ethics norms creates challenges for researchers in CA to equally participate in global knowledge production. Based on quantitative survey responses of 296 social science researchers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, this paper explores social scientists’ understandings of international principles and practices of human participant research ethics. The findings show that CA social science researchers focus on a broad understanding of research integrity, focused on academic and professional integrity. The respondents highlighted the importance of individual researcher values such as honesty, responsibility, and respectfulness. With only 35 % of the respondents reporting the existence of a research ethics committee (REC) at their institutions, most respondents believe that human participant research ethics are an individual rather than an institutional responsibility in Central Asia. This study has implications for developing research and policy in other post-Soviet and emerging research contexts.

Path to global knowledge: a review of Chinese scholars on international publishing

Abstract The article selects 634 papers authored by Chinese scholars on international publishing from CNKI, China’s foremost dataset for Chinese academic papers, in the past three decades. Employing the thematic analysis, the article explores the trends, developments and issues deliberated by Chinese scholars in the realm of international publishing. The article first scrutinizes the major themes discussed by Chinese scholars, revealing an evolution in their perceptions on international publishing. This evolution progresses from initial awareness in the first stage to adeptly handling challenges and enhancing the quality of international publishing in the second and third stages. In the fourth stage, scholars in China emphasize distinctive Chinese characteristics. The second part of the article outlines six issues deliberated by Chinese scholars in the field of international publishing, including international influence, contextual debates, English language, academic motivations, evaluation systems and publication charges. These six issues underscore the resilience and proactive efforts exhibited by Chinese scholars as they endeavor to adapt to and integrate into the international academic arena. In conclusion, the article summarizes the features of Chinese scholarship on international publishing and advocates that Chinese scholarship continues its engagement in global collaboration to make a more substantial contribution to global knowledge production.

Constructing global graduate student leaders: towards a paradigm of responsible epistemic leaders

ABSTRACT University’s commitment to student leadership development has been progressively globalised and become more nuanced. Nevertheless, studies emphasising the unique possibilities and responsibilities of graduate students as aspiring leaders are scarce. These agendas, often held by non-profits and other organisations external to the university, recognise the graduate students’ role as knowledge producers, and are regularly actualised through competitive international practicum placements and fellowships with a global outlook. By examining the Trudeau fellowship in Canada as a case study, the paper provides a constructivist conceptual framework for reading graduate students as potential epistemic leaders. The paper outlines the opportunities as well as the challenges of this approach by integrating global citizenship with the current inequities of global knowledge production and dissemination.

Options in the (Semi-)Periphery: A Review of Multilingual Scholars’ Choices of Topics, Methodologies, and Theories in Research and Publishing

In most global contexts, academic publishing plays an essential part of scholars’ professional lives. For multilingual scholars, who may use multiple languages and publish for different communities, publishing can entail making a range of important choices. To date, while there has been a substantial amount of research on multilingual scholars’ choices of language and genre, little has focused on their choices of topics, methodologies, and theories, which are also important aspects of their research and publishing practices. In this review article, I explore specifically what the extant research has found about why multilingual scholars make particular choices of topics, methodologies, and theories outside of Anglophone contexts. Reviewing research published between 2004 and 2023, I found that overall, scholars’ choices in such aspects are motivated by their desire for professional success and their aims of making academic and social contributions. Also, their choices can be further complicated by various sociopolitical factors. I argue that the current strand of research mainly focuses on the neoliberal contexts of publishing and the effects of Anglophone academia on global knowledge production, whereas the practices of multilingual scholars outside the Anglosphere can be also affected by many other factors that have received less attention.

Children’s geographies I: Decoloniality

This review departs from the perception that children’s geographies are theoretically ‘stuck’, by showing how the field’s growing decolonial scholarship pushes its boundaries. Decoloniality involves delinking from Western constructs and developing pluralistic theoretical frameworks firmly grounded in the realities of marginalised childhoods. Organised around the themes of decolonial theory, praxis, and conceptualisations of childhood, the review focuses on embracing historical geographies of non-Western childhoods, developing relational and place-based methodologies, centring on childhoods on the margins of global knowledge production, addressing the interlinked marginalisation of children through colonial violence and adult dominance, and challenging the Anglo-centric modes of academic publishing.