Citation Rankings
Highly Cited Researchers
World Highly Cited Researchers CitationSocial Sciences / Political Science and International Relations Rankings 2025
The Citation Rankings (Highly Cited Researchers) highlight the most cited and influential researchers across a vast range of scientific fields, covering 197 main and sub-disciplines, including the Art and Humanities Citation Rankings and Social Sciences and Humanities Citation Rankings. This service, offered exclusively by AD Scientific Index, aims to provide a balanced perspective by excluding data from CERN and other statistical sources that disproportionately favor certain researchers, particularly in the social sciences and humanities. This unique approach addresses the advantages researchers with multi-author publications and CERN involvement hold over others. Furthermore, citation rankings help uncover rule violations and unethical practices within the research community. For more detailed citation analyses, explore the Scientists Last 6 Years Citation Index, Universities Total Citations Rankings 2025, and Universities Last 6 Years Citations Rankings 2025.
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :1
democracy
development
governance
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
161,566
47,513
0.294
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :2
International politics
institutions
environmental policy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
150,082
35,212
0.235
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :3
American foreign politics
international relations
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
137,092
45,859
0.335
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :4
political science
comparative politics
elections
political behavior
political communication
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
111,784
40,960
0.366
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :5
Discourse Studies
Identity Politics
Political Communication
Populism
Gender Studies
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
97,407
42,474
0.436
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :6
Political Philosophy
Political Theory
Philosophy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
96,649
24,656
0.255
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :7
Democratic theory
constitutions
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
94,385
17,936
0.190
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :8
Political-economics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
91,780
20,266
0.221
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :9
Comparative politics
comparative political economy
institutional analysis
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
83,380
23,358
0.280
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :10
International Relations
world history
international security
international relations theory
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
81,413
29,727
0.365
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :11
political science
comparative politics
public opinion
elections
democracy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
71,663
20,027
0.279
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :12
Political Science
Comparative Politics
European Union
Latin America
democratization
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
71,109
11,867
0.167
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :13
Comparative Politics
Democratic Theory
Latin America
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
70,692
15,376
0.218
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :14
American Politics
Comparative Politics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
67,879
18,578
0.274
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :15
HUman Geography
Political Science
Elections
Geography
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
65,479
15,278
0.233
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :16
Political Theory
Political Sociology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
64,800
9,673
0.149
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :17
social networks
evolution
politics
genetics
big data
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
64,149
29,804
0.465
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :18
international relations
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
63,504
18,278
0.288
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :19
political science
comparative politics
European Union
multilevel governance
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
57,306
20,143
0.351
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :20
Political Communication
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
57,141
21,391
0.374
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :21
sociology
political science
social movements
democracy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
56,600
22,538
0.398
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :22
Political economy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
56,228
18,753
0.334
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :23
International relations
quantum theory
and philosophy of social science
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
54,335
15,051
0.277
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :24
International Chair on Interventional Cardiology and Transradial Approach
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
53,784
20,426
0.380
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :25
IR Theory
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
53,687
19,950
0.372
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,229
539
31
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Francis Fukuyama
Stanford University
Stanford, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
161,566
47,513
0.294
democracy
development
governance
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,416
627
11
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Robert Keohane
Princeton University
Princeton, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
150,082
35,212
0.235
International politics
institutions
environmental policy
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,697
763
69
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Joseph S Nye
Harvard University
Cambridge, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
137,092
45,859
0.335
American foreign politics
international relations
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
2,488
1,184
113
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Pippa Norris
Harvard University
Cambridge, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
111,784
40,960
0.366
political science
comparative politics
elections
political behavior
political communication
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
3,282
264
5
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Ruth Wodak
Lancaster University
Lancaster, United Kingdom
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
97,407
42,474
0.436
Discourse Studies
Identity Politics
Political Communication
Populism
Gender Studies
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
3,337
127
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Will Kymlicka
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
96,649
24,656
0.255
Political Philosophy
Political Theory
Philosophy
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
3,498
1,666
35
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Jon Elster
Columbia University New York
New York City, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
94,385
17,936
0.190
Democratic theory
constitutions
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
3,670
1,738
87
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Barry R Weingast
Stanford University
Stanford, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
91,780
20,266
0.221
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
4,305
2,048
168
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Peter A Hall
Harvard University
Cambridge, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
83,380
23,358
0.280
Comparative politics
comparative political economy
institutional analysis
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
4,497
355
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Barry Buzan
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
81,413
29,727
0.365
International Relations
world history
international security
international relations theory
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
5,588
2,650
21
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Dalton Russell J
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
71,663
20,027
0.279
political science
comparative politics
public opinion
elections
democracy
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
5,655
305
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Philippe C. Schmitter
European University Institute
Fiesole, Italy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
71,109
11,867
0.167
Political Science
Comparative Politics
European Union
Latin America
democratization
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
5,696
2,703
26
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Guillermo O'Donnell
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
70,692
15,376
0.218
Comparative Politics
Democratic Theory
Latin America
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
6,110
2,897
75
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Paul Pierson
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
67,879
18,578
0.274
American Politics
Comparative Politics
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
6,469
554
14
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Ron Johnston
University of Bristol
Bristol, United Kingdom
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
65,479
15,278
0.233
HUman Geography
Political Science
Elections
Geography
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
6,587
257
6
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Claus Offe
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
64,800
9,673
0.149
Political Theory
Political Sociology
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
6,694
3,173
66
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
James H Fowler
University of California San Diego
San Diego, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
64,149
29,804
0.465
social networks
evolution
politics
genetics
big data
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
6,814
3,236
253
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Kathryn Sikkink
Harvard University
Cambridge, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
63,504
18,278
0.288
international relations
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
8,019
3,824
47
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Gary Marks
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
57,306
20,143
0.351
political science
comparative politics
European Union
multilevel governance
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
8,065
3,848
9
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Robert M Entman
George Washington University
Washington, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
57,141
21,391
0.374
Political Communication
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
8,186
396
7
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Donatella Della Porta
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
56,600
22,538
0.398
sociology
political science
social movements
democracy
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
8,280
57
17
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Shaoguang Wang 王绍光
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Central Ave, Hong Kong
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
56,228
18,753
0.334
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
8,771
4,188
19
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Alexander Wendt
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
54,335
15,051
0.277
International relations
quantum theory
and philosophy of social science
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
8,923
341
5
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Olivier François Bertrand
Université Laval
Quebec City, Canada
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
53,784
20,426
0.380
International Chair on Interventional Cardiology and Transradial Approach
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
8,948
4,275
44
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
John Mearsheimer
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
53,687
19,950
0.372