An Analysis of Political Science and International Relations Publications in Iraqi Governmental Universities (2020–2024): A Bibliometric Study

Assessing the research landscape of Iraqi public universities is crucial for national academic development, yet no comprehensive bibliometric analysis of its social science disciplines exists. Using a bibliometric approach, this study analyzes data from the Scopus database, to examine the research output in Political Science and International Relations from 15 Iraqi governmental universities; which have faculties of political sciences and/or international relations; during the period 2020–2024. The analysis reveals significant disparities in publication productivity and research impact among institutions. The University of Baghdad leads in publication volume, while institutions such as the University of Dohuk, University of Salahaddin, and University of Mosul, despite producing fewer publications, exhibit higher citation rates and field-weighted citation impact (FWCI). These findings suggest a centralization of publication quantity in Baghdad, alongside a generally low level of author productivity; publications per author. Additionally, the weak correlation between publication volume and citation impact indicates that higher number of publications does not necessarily equate to greater academic influence. These results provide an empirical basis for policymakers and academic leaders, suggesting that future strategies should prioritize fostering high-impact research at emerging centers of excellence rather than focusing narrowly on publication counts.