GLOBAL RESEARCH TRENDS ON SALAFISM: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT, THEMATIC EVOLUTION, AND GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION (2000–2025)

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research trends on Salafism spanning the period from 2000 to 2025, employing a multi-dimensional science mapping framework that integrates publication trend analysis, keyword co-occurrence mapping, citation impact trajectories, institutional and authorial profiling, and international collaboration network analysis. Data were retrieved from the Scopus database using a structured search strategy and analysed using Bibliopro software (Version 1.0). The findings reveal a classic growth-peak-decline publication lifecycle, with scholarly productivity reaching its zenith between approximately 2010 and 2020 before entering a gradual consolidation phase. Keyword frequency analysis demonstrates a pronounced power-law distribution, with "Salafism" dominating the corpus at 321 occurrences, while temporal keyword trend analysis identifies a divergence between traditional scholarly discourse and an emerging cluster of contemporary thematic concerns. The citation lifecycle analysis confirms that the most influential works, particularly those by Lauzière, Wagemakers, and Hegghammer, generated their highest citation impact during the peak phase, with citation attention tapering progressively thereafter. A particularly significant finding is the prominent role of Malaysian institutions, with the University of Malaya leading all contributing institutions globally, highlighting the Southeast Asian intellectual contribution to Salafism scholarship. Country collaboration network analysis reveals China as the single most dominant contributor by node size, while Mediterranean Politics and Die Welt des Islams emerge as the primary journal venues for the field. The study concludes with a discussion of thematic gaps, methodological limitations, and future research directions, including longitudinal co-word analysis, comparative multi-database studies, and the expansion of research into underrepresented regions and non-English scholarly traditions.