Implementing rule of law through open government: understanding concept with a scientometric analysis

Introduction Open government has gained prominence as a governance paradigm aimed at enhancing transparency, participation, and accountability; however, its conceptual relationship with the rule of law remains fragmented within existing scholarship. This study addresses this gap by systematically examining how academic discourse positions open government as a mechanism for strengthening rule-of-law outcomes. Methods A bibliometric and scientometric analysis was conducted on peer-reviewed publications indexed between 2014 and 2023. Bibliographic data were extracted and analysed using VOSViewer to generate keyword co-occurrence networks, citation relationships, and thematic clusters. The analysis follows a transparent and reproducible review protocol adapted from PRISMA guidelines. To contextualize the findings, the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2024 is used as an external reference for the Philippine governance environment. Results The results reveal several dominant thematic clusters, including transparency and accountability, citizen participation, digital governance, anti-corruption, and institutional capacity. Keyword and citation networks indicate that open government is most frequently conceptualized as an enabling mechanism for accountability and administrative transparency, while linkages to judicial effectiveness and enforcement remain comparatively underexplored. The Philippine context reflects moderate institutional openness alongside persistent weaknesses in corruption control and justice systems. Discussion/Conclusion This study contributes by clarifying the intellectual structure of open government and rule-of-law scholarship and highlighting conceptual gaps between openness and legal enforcement. The findings offer implications for governance research and inform policy discussions on strengthening rule-of-law outcomes through open government reforms.