Emergence of Structural Disparities in the Web of Scientific Citations

Buddhika Nettasinghe; Nazanin Alipourfard; Vikram Krishnamurthy; Kristina Lerman

doi:10.48550/arxiv.2601.12665

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Emergence of Structural Disparities in the Web of Scientific Citations

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Emergence of Structural Disparities in the Web of Scientific Citations

Buddhika Nettasinghe, Nazanin Alipourfard, Vikram Krishnamurthy and Kristina Lerman

ArXiv.org

Cornell University

01/21/2026

DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2601.12665

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https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2601.12665View

This preprint has not been evaluated by subject experts through peer review. Preprints may undergo extensive changes and/or become peer-reviewed journal articles. Open Access

Abstract

Scientific attention is unevenly distributed, creating inequities in recognition and distorting access to opportunities. Using citations as a proxy, we quantify disparities in attention by gender and institutional prestige. We find that women receive systematically fewer citations than men, and that attention is increasingly concentrated among authors from elite institutions -- patterns not fully explained by underrepresentation alone. To explain these dynamics, we introduce a model of citation network growth that incorporates homophily (tendency to cite similar authors), preferential attachment (favoring highly cited authors) and group size (underrepresentation). The model shows that disparities arise not only from group size imbalances but also from cumulative advantage amplifying biased citation preferences. Importantly, increasing representation alone is often insufficient to reduce disparities. Effective strategies should also include reducing homophily, amplifying the visibility of underrepresented groups, and supporting equitable integration of newcomers. Our findings highlight the challenges of mitigating inequities in asymmetric networks like citations, where recognition flows in one direction. By making visible the mechanisms through which attention is distributed, we contribute to efforts toward a more responsible web of science that is fairer, more transparent, and more inclusive, and that better sustains innovation and knowledge production.

Computer Science - Social and Information Networks

Physics - Physics and Society

Details

Title: Subtitle: Emergence of Structural Disparities in the Web of Scientific Citations
Creators: Buddhika Nettasinghe
Nazanin Alipourfard
Vikram Krishnamurthy
Kristina Lerman
Resource Type: Preprint
Publication Details: ArXiv.org
DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2601.12665
ISSN: 2331-8422
Publisher: Cornell University; Ithaca, New York
Language: English
Date posted: 01/21/2026
Academic Unit: Business Analytics
Record Identifier: 9985130218102771

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