Using Content and Bibliometric Network Analysis to Understand the Development and Study of "Violence" in Bioarchaeology

Abstract

Violence is an interdisciplinary concept subjected to the fluctuations of social and personal perceptions of morality, ethics, and justice. While its definition therefore proves to be elusive, it may serve as a way to research and reconstruct human behavior. This also applies to bioarchaeology, which is dedicated to the study of past societies through the analysis of human remains. The aim of this article is to analyze the general development, methodological key concepts, studied markers, and potential paradigm changes in the study of violence in bioarchaeology. This is done by applying bibliometric tools to selected scientific publications and building on previous research analyzing paleopathological literature. The results are then compared to qualitative reviews on violence in bioarchaeology to draw conclusions about significance and applicability of bibliometric network analysis in the light of the expanding scientific literature. Finally, a future trajectory of the concept of “violence” in bioarchaeology is presented.