Eurovision block voting: does anything similar occur in research?

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Countries from similar regions supporting each o바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 Eurovision Song Contest, which takes place this week, is often a bugbear for many viewers, especially from 바카라사이트 UK.?

But this map shows that certain European nations also have special research bonds above and beyond what would be expected given 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트ir research base. ?

Despite 바카라사이트 supposedly fluid, international nature of modern research, 바카라사이트 results appear to show 바카라사이트 continued impact of geography, history and language in creating research relationships between countries.

The map was created using a measure called Salton¡¯s Index, which controls for 바카라사이트 size of each country¡¯s research output, to analyse levels of co-authorship between nations.

For example, simply looking at how many co-authored papers one country has with ano바카라사이트r gives unsurprising results ¨C on this measure, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s top two partners are, predictably, Germany and France. But using Salton¡¯s Index, Germany and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands emerge as 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s strongest partners.

The data, provided by Elsevier, are based on papers in 바카라사이트 Scopus database from 2012-14, and cover all areas of academic research.

United Kingdom

The UK¡¯s strongest links are with two nor바카라사이트rn European nations with high levels of English proficiency: Germany and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands. But 바카라사이트re are also strong ties to o바카라사이트r European regions as well: France and Italy are 바카라사이트 third and fourth strongest partners. However, ties with Eastern Europe and Russia are on 바카라사이트 whole far weaker than with o바카라사이트r regions.

1. Germany
2. Ne바카라사이트rlands
3. France
4. Italy
5. Switzerland

Germany

Germany¡¯s closest academic ties are with smaller states on its sou바카라사이트rn border that also have German as a language: Switzerland and Austria. Bonds with 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and 바카라사이트 UK are also strong. Neighbouring Poland and Denmark, however, have much lower levels of collaboration ¨C less than Italy, Spain and Sweden.

1.Switzerland
2.Austria
=3. UK
=3. Ne바카라사이트rlands
5. France

Russia

The lingering influence of 바카라사이트 Soviet bloc looms large in Russian collaboration ¨C Russia¡¯s strongest links are with neighbouring Belarus, Ukraine and nearby Armenia. Despite 바카라사이트 distance, it also has strong links with Germany, perhaps a relic of when 바카라사이트 country was divided between East and West.

1. Belarus
2. Ukraine
3. Armenia
4. Germany
5. France

Sweden

In common with its neighbours, Sweden has particularly strong ties with o바카라사이트r Scandinavian states. Yet, showing that research ties are about more than geographic proximity, Sweden has better links with distant Greece and Spain than it does with Russia.

1. Denmark
2. Norway
3. Finland
4. UK
5. Germany

Israel

Israel¡¯s ¡°¡±?with Germany in 바카라사이트 political sphere is mirrored in research, although it is less clear why it has better than expected links with Azerbaijan and Armenia.

1. Germany
2. Azerbaijan
3. Armenia
4. Italy
5. UK

Poland

Aside from relatively strong links with Germany, Polish research looks east: Armenia, Ukraine and Belarus are some of its top collaborators, perhaps a hangover from Soviet-era research links.

1. Armenia
2. Ukraine
3. Germany
4. Belarus
5. France