Indigenization reimagined: Tracing 60 years of epistemic shifts in social work scholarship

Abstract

This article systematically maps the trajectory of indigenization in social work through a bibliometric analysis of 1001 peer-reviewed articles published between 1965 and 2025, drawing on Scopus and Web of Science data. Using descriptive and thematic analyses, it identifies publication trends, conceptual clusters, and key scholarly contributors. The results reveal rapid growth since the mid-2010s, with themes shifting from cultural competence toward critiques of coloniality, epistemic justice, and pedagogical reform. Persistent authorship and citation asymmetries underscore the dominance of Global North knowledge production. Findings call for inclusive curricula, equitable research partnerships, and decolonial practice frameworks relevant to global social work.