Twenty Years of Law Journal Publishing: A Comparative Analysis of International Publication Trends

Abstract

The analyses of publishing trends are gaining importance across various disciplines, yet we have limited knowledge on the extent to which international publication processes have developed within the field of legal studies. Based on bibliometric and network analyses focusing on the past two decades, our research investigates publishing and internationalization processes in the pool of Scopus-indexed law journals, as well as the publication patterns of the most prolific Law scholars. Results indicate that most legal studies journals are concentrated in the hands of a few global publishers and university presses, and, while the number of Scopus-indexed law journals are high, the level of internationalization is relatively low. Consequently, further efforts are prompted to enhance geographical diversity and increase the level of international collaboration.