Colonialism, slavery, and trade
Colonialism, slavery, and trade is a research topic within Anthropology. Science Explorer counts 21k research works in it since 1950. 15.6% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers explores the Transatlantic Slave Trade, its historical impact, and the experiences of enslaved Africans in the Americas. It delves into topics such as slave resistance, colonial economies, racial identity, legal rights, and the African diaspora in the Atlantic world.
- Transatlantic Slave Trade
- Atlantic History
- Slavery
- African Diaspora
- Slave Resistance
- Colonial America
- Enslaved Africans
- Racial Identity
- Legal Rights
- Plantation Economy
- Research works
- 21k fractional, since 1950
- In the world top 10%
- 3.3k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 15.6% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- +21% the tick is no change
Which countries lead Colonialism, slavery, and trade research?
By volume, the United States and the United Kingdom publish the most (1.3k and 474 works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 United States 1.3k works
- 2 United Kingdom 474 works
- 3 Brazil 320 works
- 4 France 194 works
- 5 Canada 146 works
- 6 Germany 116 works
- 7 Spain 101 works
- 8 Netherlands 98 works
- 9 Australia 83 works
- 10 Italy 67 works
How concentrated that is
The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead Colonialism, slavery, and trade research?
By volume in 2022–2025, University of Cambridge publishes the most Colonialism, slavery, and trade research, followed by University of Oxford and Universidade de São Paulo.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 University of CambridgeUnited Kingdom 41 works
- 2 University of OxfordUnited Kingdom 32 works
- 3 Universidade de São PauloBrazil 27 works
- 4 Leiden UniversityNetherlands 24 works
- 5 Yale UniversityUnited States 21 works
- 6 University College LondonUnited Kingdom 21 works
- 7 University of ChicagoUnited States 21 works
- 8 Emory UniversityUnited States 19 works
- 9 Film IndependentUnited States 19 works
- 10 University of TorontoCanada 17 works
Who are the leading researchers in Colonialism, slavery, and trade?
The most-cited researchers publishing on Colonialism, slavery, and trade include Benoı̂t Roux and David J. Richardson.
- 1 Benoı̂t Roux United States 2.6k citations
- 2 David J. Richardson United Kingdom 2k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is Colonialism, slavery, and trade research done?
The largest centres of Colonialism, slavery, and trade research in 2022–2025 are London (United Kingdom), Paris (France), São Paulo (Brazil) and Washington D.C. (United States).
Largest cities, 2022–2025
- 1 London United Kingdom 96 works
- 2 Paris France 75 works
- 3 São Paulo Brazil 62 works
- 4 Washington D.C. United States 51 works
- 5 New York United States 48 works
- 6 Lisbon Portugal 44 works
- 7 Cambridge United Kingdom 43 works
- 8 Rio de Janeiro Brazil 41 works
- 9 Los Angeles United States 41 works
- 10 Toronto Canada 39 works
Where is the best place to study Colonialism, slavery, and trade?
Among universities, judged by research, University of Cambridge, Utrecht University and Leiden University score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of CambridgeUnited Kingdom | 68.3 | 12.6% | 11.4× | 41 | +37.6% |
| 2 | Utrecht UniversityNetherlands | 67.3 | 18.1% | 9.2× | 16 | +180.2% |
| 3 | Leiden UniversityNetherlands | 64.5 | 17.6% | 21.8× | 24 | +20.6% |
| 4 | University of BonnGermany | 62.4 | 20.5% | 14.5× | 16 | — |
| 5 | University of LisbonPortugal | 61.6 | 15.0% | 8.0× | 16 | +195.9% |
| 6 | Universidade Nova de LisboaPortugal | 61.4 | 19.7% | 16.9× | 16 | +36.5% |
| 7 | University of OxfordUnited Kingdom | 61.1 | 16.9% | 7.6× | 32 | +25.9% |
| 8 | University of LeicesterUnited Kingdom | 60.4 | 14.5% | 15.6× | 12 | +132.3% |
| 9 | European University InstituteItaly | 59.2 | 20.9% | 39.4× | 10 | +83.3% |
| 10 | Universidade Federal de São PauloBrazil | 56.5 | 23.7% | 8.4× | 12 | +115.8% |
Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.
Is Colonialism, slavery, and trade research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 21% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2021. The fastest-growing topics are Colonialism, slavery, and trade.
The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.
Which topics inside it are moving
Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.