Global patterns of epistemic hierarchy and dependency in scientific research

The last three decades have witnessed significant transformations in global research systems. Increased scholarly mobility and enhanced connectivity across countries have boosted the globalization of academia. While the global nature and complexity of the international research system are undisputed, there is less agreement among scholars on its basis and contemporary development. This article starts by describing two divergent views on these issues: one based on the idea that the scope of rationality and efficiency in scientific endeavours is continuously spreading from Global North to Global South countries; and a second one that focuses on material inequalities and epistemic dependencies between these world regions. By drawing on the frameworks of dependency theories and the world-systems approach, the authors provide a descriptive empirical analysis that supports the latter perspective. They use their findings to discuss how future research could focus on the mechanisms that fuel these inequalities and thereby promote a more inclusive, truly global research environment.