A Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization of the Research Panorama of Cultural Memory

This study investigates research trends in cultural memory through bibliometric analysis, applying Bradford’s Law to identify core journals and VOSviewer (v1.6.19) for network visualization. Data was extracted from 409 Scopus-indexed journal articles (with ≥5 citations) on cultural memory. Bradford’s Law revealed that forty-eight core journals published approximately one-third of the literature, with Memory Studies as the leading journal (nineteen articles). The United States contributed the most publications (112 articles, 27.4%). A Pearson Correlation test examined the relationship between publication year and citations. Analysis of 177 high-frequency terms from titles/abstracts identified war as the most prominent research theme, alongside other recurring terms like heritage, power, narrative, knowledge, and identity. Findings indicate that cultural memory research predominantly addresses collective memory, trauma, and sociopolitical dimensions, but gaps remain in emerging areas. Future research directions include (1) the intersection of cultural memory and digital technology, (2) transnational and cross-cultural memory dynamics, (3) memory politics and contestation, (4) cultural memory in conflict/post-conflict societies, and (5) the economics of memory. The study highlights the field’s interdisciplinary nature while proposing underexplored topics to advance theoretical and empirical frameworks.