Sociological research and collaboration in South Africa: Past and present

Sociological research in South Africa presents characteristic features in line with its historical and political phases. This article maps the production of sociological research in South Africa during the apartheid and democratic periods. The data used in the article were drawn from the publication records of South African scholars stored in the database of the Web of Science (WoS). A total of 2342 publications representing the period 1970–2015 was sampled for this scientometric analysis. Employing appropriate statistical tests, the article examines the role of collaboration in the production of sociological knowledge in South Africa, and the relationships that exist among collaboration, international partnerships, subject areas and citations. The analysis shows that South African sociological research has distinctive characteristics that represent the two periods of study. It has benefitted from collaboration, both domestic and international. Collaboration continues to grow in specific subject fields of sociological research in South Africa, and has importance in the visibility of sociological research in the country.