Research trends in knowledge organization: an analysis of the ISKO-France meetings proceedings (2003-2015)
André Santos (andre.ynada@gmail.com), UNESP – São Paulo State University, Brazil
Rafael Dalessandro (rafaelcacciolari@marilia.unesp.br), UNESP – São Paulo State University
Natália Tognoli (nataliatognoli@marilia.unesp.br), UNESP – São Paulo State University
Daniel Martínez-Ávila (dmartinezavila@gmail.com), UNESP – São Paulo State University
José Augusto Guimarães (guima@marilia.unesp.br), UNESP – São Paulo State University
Abstract
Knowledge Organization (KO) has been increasingly playing a prominent role in science and research. This is exemplified by the existence of specialized journals, research groups, and scientific societies that conduct successful activities such as the ISKO international and national chapters meetings. In this sense, and considering that France has traditionally been a fertile and productive community on this field, we aim to identify the research trends and the most significant authors of the ISKO-France domain. We analyze the papers of the ISKO France meetings proceedings with lens of three thematic dimensions – epistemological, applied, and cultural – that are concerned with theoretical and epistemological questions, the creation of tools and products, and the dialogues of knowledge organization with the social environment, respectively. Although there are several papers analyzing the KO domain as a whole, there have not been many studies of specific regional (or geopolitical) influences in the domain. This paper is a domain analysis that combines bibliometric, epistemological and historical approaches. We analyzed 121 papers published in the six ISKO France meetings proceedings since 2005. The data revealed that, for the analyzed period, there was a greater emphasis in the applied dimension, with heavy ties with a technological impact, specific systems, and a great presence of knowledge management. The analysis of the keywords revealed the presence of the digital humanities, information systems, metadata, the focus on social media, and the Internet as a predominant context; and the digital as a prevailing medium. Finally, it is also important to highlight the presence of KO as one of the main processes indicating that ISKO-France, in spite of its growing interests in tools and technology, remains an important and referential domain in Knowledge Organization.