A global perspective on social stratification in science

This paper investigates social stratification among scientists globally, analyzing career-long trajectories of 8.2 million scientists using 12 bibliometric measures. Through Multiple Correspondence and Cluster Analysis, the authors group scientists based on bibliometric performance and academic age across six scientific fields. A stratified structure is revealed, with a small top class and large middle and bottom classes in all collaboration communities. While increased productivity, impact, and collaboration are concentrated in the top class, mobility indicators show similar or larger contributions from bottom classes. Top scientists benefit disproportionately from collaborations, suggesting implications for persistent stratification in academia.

Aliakbar Akbaritabar, Andrés Felipe Castro Torres, Vincent Larivière