A Bibliometric Analysis of Studies On Public Sphere and Social Media

Year 2025, Volume: 14 Issue: 1, 51 - 68, 30.06.2025

Mürüvvet Çıkın

https://doi.org/10.54282/inijoss.1640432

Abstract

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of social sciences, concepts are often used interactively. However, the impact of new communication technologies has created a need to reassess and reinterpret phenomena. One such concept is the public sphere, which is being reexamined in the context of new communication technologies. The public sphere is defined as a space where individuals freely exchange ideas, discuss societal issues, and form collective consciousness. Social media, as a platform, plays a significant role in reshaping these dynamics in the digital environment. Studies that link these concepts are often associated with digital public spheres, democracy, activism, and social movements. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of research related to the public sphere and social media. Quantitative data is used to map the developmental trajectory of these concepts. The Web of Science database was used with the keywords "public sphere" and "social media" to search for relevant works. A total of 1079 publications from 2008 to 2024 were included in the study, excluding more recent works and other databases. The 1079 documents were analyzed using VOSviewer. The studies were analysed in terms of year, field, country, sustainable development goals, keywords, author citation analysis, country-linked citation analysis, bibliometric matching analysis of authors and texts. According to the results of the analysis, when the links of the most used keywords were analysed, it was seen that social media had strong links with words such as public space, social movements, protest, activism, Middle East, mass media, Twitter, China and Egypt.

Keywords

Kamusal alan, sosyal medya, bibliyometrik analiz, Web of Science, VOSviever.

Kamusal Alan ve Sosyal Medya İle İlgili Çalışmalar Üzerine Bibliyometrik Analiz

Abstract

Sosyal bilimlerin disiplinler arası doğası gereği, kavramların birbirleriyle etkileşim içinde kullanımı yaygın bir durum olmasına karşın, yeni iletişim teknolojilerinin etkisiyle olguların yeniden değerlendirilmesi ve yeniden yorumlanması ihtiyacı doğmuştur. Kamusal alan kavramı da bunlardan birisidir. Literatürde kamusal alanın niteliği, yeni iletişim teknolojileri bağlamında yeniden ele alınmaktadır. Kamusal alan, bireylerin özgürce fikir alışverişinde bulundukları, toplumsal meseleler üzerine tartışabildikleri ve kolektif bir bilinç oluşturdukları alan olarak tanımlanırken; sosyal medya, bu dinamiklerin dijital platformlarda yeniden şekillenmesine sağlayan bir mecra olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Kavramların birlikte kullanıldığı çalışmalar genellikle dijital kamusal alan, demokrasi, aktivizm ve toplumsal hareketlerle bağlantılıdır. Bu çalışmada kamusal alan ve sosyal medyayla ilgili çalışmaların bibliyometrik analizinin yapılması amaçlanmıştır. Nicel veriler kapsamında gerçekleştirilen araştırmada, kavramların gelişimsel eğrisi ve haritasının çıkarılması hedeflenmiştir. Web of Science veri tabanının arama motoruna “public sphere” ve “social media” anahtar sözcükleri yazılarak her iki konuyu da içeren tüm alanlardaki çalışmalar bibliyometrik analiz yöntemiyle taranmıştır. Bu kapsamda 2008-2024 yılları arasında 1079 yayın çalışmaya dahil edilmiş olup, sonrasında yayınlanan çalışmalar ve diğer veri tabanları araştırmanın dışında tutulmuştur. Nicel veriler kapsamında ele alınan 1079 doküman kaynakları, VOSviever programı ile analiz edilmiştir. Çalışmalar; yıl, alan, ülke, sürdürülebilir kalkınma amaçları, anahtar kelime, yazar atıf analizi, ülke bağlı atıf analizi, yazar ve metinlerin bibliyometrik eşleşme analizi çerçevesinde incelenmiştir. Analiz sonuçlarına göre en çok kullanılan anahtar kelimelerin bağlantıları incelendiğinde sosyal medyanın, kamusal alan, toplumsal hareketler, protesto, aktivizm, Orta Doğu, kitle iletişim araçları, Twitter, Çin ve Mısır gibi kelimelerle güçlü bağlantısı olduğu görülmüştür.

Keywords

Kamusal alan, sosyal medya, bibliyometrik analiz, Web of Science, VOSviever.

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