Social Sciences and Policies
Social Sciences and Policies is a research topic within General Social Sciences. Science Explorer counts 36k research works in it since 1950. 10.7% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers covers a wide range of topics related to social work, welfare state, and community intervention in Spain. It includes discussions on gender differences, the impact of economic crisis, family support for vulnerable populations, migrant integration, and ethical challenges in social work practice. The papers also explore the role of the third sector, participation in social policies, and the evolving landscape of social welfare in Spain.
- Social Work
- Welfare State
- Community Intervention
- Gender Differences
- Third Sector
- Participation
- Economic Crisis
- Family Support
- Migrant Integration
- Ethical Challenges
- Research works
- 36k fractional, since 1950
- In the world top 10%
- 3.9k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 10.7% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- -2% the tick is no change
Which countries lead Social Sciences and Policies research?
By volume, Spain and Mexico publish the most (2.3k and 894 works in 2022–2025).
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 Social Sciences and Policies research?
By volume in 2022–2025, Universidad Complutense de Madrid publishes the most Social Sciences and Policies research, followed by Universitat de Barcelona and Universidad de Buenos Aires.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 Universidad Complutense de MadridSpain 201 works
- 2 Universitat de BarcelonaSpain 101 works
- 3 Universidad de Buenos AiresArgentina 94 works
- 4 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMexico 93 works
- 5 Universitat de ValènciaSpain 90 works
- 6 University of the Basque CountrySpain 81 works
- 7 University of ChileChile 80 works
- 8 Universidad de GranadaSpain 72 works
- 9 Universidad de MálagaSpain 71 works
- 10 Universidad Nacional de Educación a DistanciaSpain 65 works
Who are the leading researchers in Social Sciences and Policies?
The most-cited researchers publishing on Social Sciences and Policies include Pierre Bourdıeu and Judith Butler.
- 1 Pierre Bourdıeu France 10k citations
- 2 Judith Butler United States 6.7k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is Social Sciences and Policies research done?
The largest centres of Social Sciences and Policies research in 2022–2025 are Madrid (Spain), Mexico City (Mexico), Santiago (Chile) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Ciudad Juárez and Maracaibo.
Largest cities, 2022–2025
- 1 Madrid Spain 584 works
- 2 Mexico City Mexico 300 works
- 3 Santiago Chile 290 works
- 4 Buenos Aires Argentina 251 works
- 5 Bogotá Colombia 217 works
- 6 Barcelona Spain 184 works
- 7 Lima Peru 128 works
- 8 Valencia Spain 120 works
- 9 Seville Spain 113 works
- 10 São Paulo Brazil 89 works
Where it is the local speciality
- Ciudad JuárezMX · 32.5 works74×
- MaracaiboVE · 23.4 works49×
Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Social Sciences and Policies than the world average.
Where is the best place to study Social Sciences and Policies?
Among universities, judged by research, Valparaiso University, Universitat Jaume I and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid 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 | Valparaiso UniversityUnited States | 73.6 | 25.9% | 45.7× | 11 | +579.0% |
| 2 | Universitat Jaume ISpain | 71.4 | 23.5% | 25.9× | 26 | +135.4% |
| 3 | Universidad Autónoma de MadridSpain | 69.5 | 18.5% | 19.1× | 48 | +114.8% |
| 4 | Catholic University of the MauleChile | 68.3 | 18.4% | 42.6× | 19 | +180.1% |
| 5 | Universidad de San Carlos de GuatemalaGuatemala | 67.8 | 23.3% | 19.4× | 10 | +660.0% |
| 6 | Universidad Estatal de MilagroEcuador | 67.6 | 28.1% | 24.0× | 18 | — |
| 7 | Central University of EcuadorEcuador | 66.8 | 19.6% | 18.4× | 14 | +277.8% |
| 8 | Pontificia Universidad Católica de ValparaísoChile | 65.9 | 20.1% | 26.6× | 16 | +119.9% |
| 9 | Universidad de GranadaSpain | 65.1 | 17.0% | 20.3× | 72 | +30.7% |
| 10 | University of the AmericasChile | 65.0 | 24.1% | 55.5× | 10 | — |
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 Social Sciences and Policies research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 2% lower than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2024. The fastest-growing topics are Social Sciences and Policies.
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.