Mapping and impact assessment of phenomenon-oriented research fields: The example of migration research

Research that is not explicitly bound to a distinct discipline has not yet gained much acknowledgment with regard to research impact assessment and mapping of the respective research field. In this article, we provide a suggestion for new impact metrics taking the example of migration research as a phenomenon-oriented research field. Therewith, research merit is made comparable and is calculated irrespective of discipline. We show how the field of migration studies evolved, apply our new metrics and give insight into impact factors, numbers of citations of articles, and authors, as well as journals. Further, we present a field-related collaboration network that indicates a rather disconnected community. However, collaborations between researchers are on the rise. In our conclusion, we argue that there is a need for further assessment of research impact within other phenomenon-oriented research fields.