Topic modelling exposes disciplinary divergence in research on the nexus between human mobility and the environment

Abstract Human mobility is increasingly associated with environmental and climatic factors. One way to explore how mobility and the environment are linked is to review the research on different aspects of the topic. However, so many relevant articles are published that analysis of the literature usi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kerstin K. Zander, Stephen T. Garnett, Harald Sterly, Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson, Barbora Šedová, Hermann Lotze-Campen, Carmen Richerzhagen, Hunter S. Baggen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2022-02-01
Series:Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01038-2
_version_ 1798023793848877056
author Kerstin K. Zander
Stephen T. Garnett
Harald Sterly
Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson
Barbora Šedová
Hermann Lotze-Campen
Carmen Richerzhagen
Hunter S. Baggen
author_facet Kerstin K. Zander
Stephen T. Garnett
Harald Sterly
Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson
Barbora Šedová
Hermann Lotze-Campen
Carmen Richerzhagen
Hunter S. Baggen
author_sort Kerstin K. Zander
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Human mobility is increasingly associated with environmental and climatic factors. One way to explore how mobility and the environment are linked is to review the research on different aspects of the topic. However, so many relevant articles are published that analysis of the literature using conventional techniques is becoming prohibitively arduous. To overcome this constraint, we have applied automated textual analysis. Using unsupervised topic modelling on 3197 peer-reviewed articles on the nexus between mobility and the environment published over the last 30 years, we identify 37 major topics. Based on their language use, the topics were deeply branched into two categories of focus: Impact and Adaptation. The Impact theme is further clustered into sub-themes on vulnerability and residential mobility, while articles within the Adaptation theme are clustered into governance, disaster management and farming. The analysis revealed opportunities for greater collaboration within environmental mobility research, particularly improved integration of adaptation and impact research. The topic analysis also revealed that, in the last 30 years, very little research appears to have been undertaken in migration destinations or on the fate of environmentally influenced migrants during their migration process and after arriving in a new location. There are also research gaps in gender and Indigenous issues within the Impact theme, as well as on adaptive capacity and capacity-building.
first_indexed 2024-04-11T17:52:11Z
format Article
id doaj.art-7c875ce838174a51a00b77c1b8bebaed
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2662-9992
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-11T17:52:11Z
publishDate 2022-02-01
publisher Springer Nature
record_format Article
series Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
spelling doaj.art-7c875ce838174a51a00b77c1b8bebaed2022-12-22T04:11:01ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922022-02-01911910.1057/s41599-022-01038-2Topic modelling exposes disciplinary divergence in research on the nexus between human mobility and the environmentKerstin K. Zander0Stephen T. Garnett1Harald Sterly2Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson3Barbora Šedová4Hermann Lotze-Campen5Carmen Richerzhagen6Hunter S. Baggen7Charles Darwin University, Northern InstituteCharles Darwin University, Northern InstituteUniversity of ViennaUniversity of SussexPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)German Development InstituteCharles Darwin University, Northern InstituteAbstract Human mobility is increasingly associated with environmental and climatic factors. One way to explore how mobility and the environment are linked is to review the research on different aspects of the topic. However, so many relevant articles are published that analysis of the literature using conventional techniques is becoming prohibitively arduous. To overcome this constraint, we have applied automated textual analysis. Using unsupervised topic modelling on 3197 peer-reviewed articles on the nexus between mobility and the environment published over the last 30 years, we identify 37 major topics. Based on their language use, the topics were deeply branched into two categories of focus: Impact and Adaptation. The Impact theme is further clustered into sub-themes on vulnerability and residential mobility, while articles within the Adaptation theme are clustered into governance, disaster management and farming. The analysis revealed opportunities for greater collaboration within environmental mobility research, particularly improved integration of adaptation and impact research. The topic analysis also revealed that, in the last 30 years, very little research appears to have been undertaken in migration destinations or on the fate of environmentally influenced migrants during their migration process and after arriving in a new location. There are also research gaps in gender and Indigenous issues within the Impact theme, as well as on adaptive capacity and capacity-building.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01038-2
spellingShingle Kerstin K. Zander
Stephen T. Garnett
Harald Sterly
Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson
Barbora Šedová
Hermann Lotze-Campen
Carmen Richerzhagen
Hunter S. Baggen
Topic modelling exposes disciplinary divergence in research on the nexus between human mobility and the environment
Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
title Topic modelling exposes disciplinary divergence in research on the nexus between human mobility and the environment
title_full Topic modelling exposes disciplinary divergence in research on the nexus between human mobility and the environment
title_fullStr Topic modelling exposes disciplinary divergence in research on the nexus between human mobility and the environment
title_full_unstemmed Topic modelling exposes disciplinary divergence in research on the nexus between human mobility and the environment
title_short Topic modelling exposes disciplinary divergence in research on the nexus between human mobility and the environment
title_sort topic modelling exposes disciplinary divergence in research on the nexus between human mobility and the environment
url https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01038-2
work_keys_str_mv AT kerstinkzander topicmodellingexposesdisciplinarydivergenceinresearchonthenexusbetweenhumanmobilityandtheenvironment
AT stephentgarnett topicmodellingexposesdisciplinarydivergenceinresearchonthenexusbetweenhumanmobilityandtheenvironment
AT haraldsterly topicmodellingexposesdisciplinarydivergenceinresearchonthenexusbetweenhumanmobilityandtheenvironment
AT sonjaayebkarlsson topicmodellingexposesdisciplinarydivergenceinresearchonthenexusbetweenhumanmobilityandtheenvironment
AT barborasedova topicmodellingexposesdisciplinarydivergenceinresearchonthenexusbetweenhumanmobilityandtheenvironment
AT hermannlotzecampen topicmodellingexposesdisciplinarydivergenceinresearchonthenexusbetweenhumanmobilityandtheenvironment
AT carmenricherzhagen topicmodellingexposesdisciplinarydivergenceinresearchonthenexusbetweenhumanmobilityandtheenvironment
AT huntersbaggen topicmodellingexposesdisciplinarydivergenceinresearchonthenexusbetweenhumanmobilityandtheenvironment