The Role of Mobility in Mitigating Core-Periphery Inequalities: Contribution Statements of African Scholars in International Collaboration

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of international mobility on the distribution of tasks within core-periphery scientific collaborations, particularly focusing on Africa. Utilizing a dataset with contributions statements from ScienceDirect, the study categorizes publications and author contributions from 2017-2023 involving African researchers. It finds significant disparities in task assignment, where authors from the global scientific periphery often perform menial roles. The paper highlights that mobility, especially international, potentially mitigates these inequalities by positioning periphery scholars in more substantial roles, enhancing their visibility and career progression. Initial results indicate that mobile researchers tend to secure prominent authorial positions and are more involved in conceptual and supervisory tasks. These findings suggest that increasing international mobility and integration into global networks could promote a more equitable distribution of intellectual labour and recognition in global science collaborations.