Forskningsevaluering av humaniora. En diskursanalys av den aktuella debatten i Skandinavien

Abstract

This master’s thesis aims to analyze the ongoing debate in Scandinavia on research evaluation of the humanities. This field of research uses bibliometrics, quantative analysis of bibliographical units as a research assessment tool. In recent years evaluative bibliometrics has been an increasingly used method. In Scandinavia, governments have introduced new funding models for research in higher educational institutions. The change consists of the way the research funding is distributed. The analysis has principally been based upon articles in periodicals connected to universities. Discourse analysis has been used to analyze the design of the debate, and to outline which discoursive formations that could be perceived. The discoursive formations have then been related to earlier research and citation theory. The result of the analysis is that bibliometrics for learning purposes represent a value of supporting researchers’ activity. Citation analysis is not yet possible to apply on research of the humanities because lack of data in this area. Publications are not always indexed and documented, hence the lack of data. In the new funding models, internationalization of the humanities is advocated despite that earlier research shows that it has negative consequences for the humanities.