Reconciling bibliometric and qualitative methods to examine inequalities in scientific publishing: insights from a mixed-methods study on African forest governance research

Despite an increasing demand for interdisciplinary research, science studies remain a highly fragmented field shaped by disciplinary divides. We address the persistent disconnect between quantitative and qualitative strands of research with a mixed-method study examining inequalities in scientific publishing focused on forest governance research. In this paper, we present selected findings showing how geographical and gender-related inequalities manifest in different publishing spaces, and how they relate with epistemic choices and struggles experienced by African researchers engaged in the field. We demonstrate the potential but also share methodological challenges of integrating bibliometric and qualitative interview analysis. With that, we aim to advance mixed-methods science studies for a better understanding of interrelations between macro- and micro-levels of science and the social and epistemic structures of scientific fields.