Mapping the Scientific Structure of School Shootings Literature: A Bibliometric Analysis Based on Web of Science Data (1991–2025)

Öz

The fact that school shootings are not only an individual act of violence but also a multidimensional security issue associated with media, psychological processes, and social structure has increased academic interest in this topic. In this context, in order to comprehensively reveal the general trends and research orientations of scientific production in the literature, a bibliometric analysis method was used in this study. A total of 494 articles published between 1991 and 2025 in the Web of Science database and selected according to the defined criteria were analyzed using the VOSviewer bibliometric analysis program in terms of year, author, country, journal, citation, Web of Science categories, and keywords. The findings reveal that the studies are largely concentrated in the fields of criminology and psychology, that the United States holds a dominant position in publication output, and that the literature shows a significant increase particularly after 2010. The findings also provide a holistic framework for understanding how the literature on school shootings is shaped both thematically and structurally by revealing the developmental dynamics of the field. In particular, studies to be conducted in the field of communication and media should address such events not only through causal relationships, but also in the context of media production practices, framing processes, and the formation of social perception. This approach will prevent reductionist explanations and will contribute to a more balanced and scientific academic discussion environment.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• School shootings
• School violence
• Media and communication
• Bibliometric analysis
• Web of Science

Destekleyen Kurum

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Etik Beyan

This study is based on a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications publicly available in the Web of Science database. Since the research did not involve human participants, animals, or personal data, ethical approval was not required. All stages of the research were conducted in accordance with the principles of scientific research and publication ethics. The author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

Okul Saldırıları Literatürünün Bilimsel Yapısının Haritalanması: Web of Science Verilerine Dayalı Bibliyometrik Bir Analiz (1991–2025)

Öz

Okul saldırılarının yalnızca bireysel bir şiddet olgusu değil, aynı zamanda medya, psikolojik süreçler ve toplumsal yapı ile ilişkili çok boyutlu bir güvenlik sorunu haline gelmesi konuya ilişkin akademik ilgiyi artırmıştır. Bu bağlamda literatürdeki bilimsel üretimin genel eğilimlerini ve araştırma yönelimlerini ortaya koyabilmek amacıyla çalışmada bibliyometrik analiz yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Web of Science veri tabanında 1991–2025 yılları arasında yayımlanan ve belirlenen kriterlere göre seçilen 494 makale, VOSviewer bibliyometrik analiz programı ile yıl, yazar, ülke, dergi, atıf, Web of Science kategorileri ve anahtar kelimeler açısından incelenmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, çalışmaların büyük ölçüde kriminoloji ve psikoloji alanlarında yoğunlaştığını, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nin yayın üretiminde baskın konumda olduğunu ve literatürün özellikle 2010 sonrası dönemde belirgin bir artış gösterdiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bulgular ayrıca alanın gelişim dinamiklerini görünür kılarak okul saldırıları literatürünün hem tematik hem de yapısal açıdan nasıl şekillendiğine ilişkin bütüncül bir çerçeve sunmaktadır. Özellikle iletişim ve medya alanında yapılacak çalışmaların, bu tür olayları yalnızca nedensel bir ilişki üzerinden değil, medya üretim pratikleri, çerçeveleme süreçleri ve toplumsal algı oluşumu bağlamında ele alması önem taşımaktadır. Bu yaklaşım, olgunun tek yönlü açıklamalarla sınırlandırılmasını önleyerek daha dengeli ve bilimsel bir akademik tartışma zemini oluşturacaktır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Okul saldırıları
• Okul şiddeti
• Medya ve iletişim
• Bibliyometrik analiz
• Web of Science

Destekleyen Kurum

Bu araştırma herhangi bir kamu, ticari veya kâr amacı gütmeyen kuruluş tarafından desteklenmemiştir.

Etik Beyan

Bu çalışma, kamuya açık olarak erişilebilen Web of Science veri tabanında yer alan bilimsel yayınların bibliyometrik analizine dayanmaktadır. Araştırmada insan katılımcılar, hayvanlar veya kişisel veriler kullanılmadığından etik kurul izni gerekmemektedir. Araştırmanın tüm aşamalarında bilimsel araştırma ve yayın etiği ilkelerine uyulmuştur. Yazar, herhangi bir çıkar çatışmasının bulunmadığını beyan etmektedir.

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