Forty Years of Risk Analysis: A Scientometric Overview

Risk Analysis was first published in 1981, established with a vision to provide a platform for inquiry into fundamental risk-related concepts and theories, and to disseminate new knowledge about methods and approaches for identifying, analyzing, evaluating, managing, and communicating risk. The journal has also contributed significantly to a scientific understanding of specific risks related to human health and safety, engineering, ecological, and social systems. Published on behalf of the Society for Risk Analysis, the journal has become a leading platform over its 40-year history. Complementing recent celebratory overviews and perspectives on the evolution, achievements, and future challenges for Risk Analysis, this article presents a scientometric overview of the journal between 1981 and 2020. The study presents high-level insights in the journal publication trends and structure and trends in the leading countries/regions, institutions, and authors, in relation to their respective collaboration networks. Furthermore, the structure and evolution of research focus issues is analyzed, and highly cited publications are identified. The findings are primarily intended to provide high-level insights, which may be useful for early career academics and risk practitioners to understand the structure and development of the research domain, and its main contributors and topics, and for experienced researchers to reflect on the achievements and future developments.