31 posts later: a tour through research musings
We started research musings 9 months ago, and have since published 31 articles ranging from Nobel Prize winners, to AI-generated Disney song classifications, research tensions in the former Soviet Union, the politics of peer review, the five roles of GenAI in research tools, and the geography of first names in UK academia.
In a landscape where research is increasingly shaped by data, metrics, technology, and policy, research musings emerged as an informal yet analytical space to explore these dynamics. Hosted by a team immersed in bibliometrics, research systems, and the changing knowledge infrastructure, it offers a vantage point on how research is made, measured, and mediated.
Whether you work in the research ecosystem, are a policymaker, or just curious about the mechanics behind how knowledge is created and rewarded, research musings aims to surface overlooked questions and spark informed discussion.
Series
research musings is a space for ongoing exploration, sometimes structured, sometimes improvised. Over time, it has taken shape around five recurring series, each offering a different lens on the research world:
data: structured around a dataset, a chart, or a pattern,
metrics: we introduce a method, define an indicator, or reflect on how metrics are made and used,
AI: we examine the role of artificial intelligence in research—tools, policies, risks, and potential,
policy: we look at the mechanics of research systems, funding structures, and strategic shifts,
thought: we step back and reflect—on institutions, incentives, culture, and change.
Alongside these, some themes cut across series and evolve over time. We are starting to think of these as threads: evolving inquiries that approach a theme from multiple perspectives.
Threads
cartographies of research
This thread centres around one or more maps, revealing geographic patterns in research.mapping the margins
This thread looks at underrepresented fields, overlooked regions, and research topics. Posts are united by a concern with visibility, inclusion, and structural gaps.research in tension
This thread explores how political disruption, structural conflict, and ideological control shape research systems. From Cold War divides to suppressed disciplines, it focuses on moments when science is constrained, redirected, or displaced.
Posts by series and thread
The table below shows how recent posts align with both the five series and our threads.
As we continue this experiment, we welcome suggestions for future topics, collaborations, or guest posts. You can follow our updates by subscribing to the newsletter.