Structural Foundations and Evolution of Knowledge in Social Equity, Economic Disparity, and Welfare Systems

Abstract

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive quantitative mapping of the intellectual architecture and evolution of global scientific output focused on social welfare, distributive equity, and economic inequality.

Following PRISMA guidelines, the research empirical sample comprises 1,704 peer-reviewed English articles retrieved from the Scopus database spanning a 47-year horizon (1979–2026). Computational science mapping tools —including R-Biblioshiny — were deployed to fit logistic growth curves, compute citation impact metrics (h-index, g-index), and execute Louvain community detection algorithms on co-occurrence networks.

Findings reveal a structural paradigm shift from foundational normative welfare economics toward empirical evaluations of health equity, spatial accessibility, and socio-environmental sustainability. In conclusion, the study proves that economic growth policies failing to incorporate distributive justice metrics systematically compound structural disparities, underscoring the necessity for multi-sectoral, equity-informative evaluation tools in public governance.

Keywords:  Social Welfare, Distributive Justice, Health Equity, Economic Inequality, Wellbeing, Spatial Justice