Abstract:

Since the rise of the Internet in China (2000), the intersection of “Internet” and “religion” has become increasingly intricate, presenting a multifaceted and complex landscape. In response to this, the political, academic, and religious sectors have actively engaged in the study of “Internet religion”, spurring significant developments in this field. Visualization analysis based on bibliometrics offers a comprehensive reflection of the overall landscape and evolutionary trends in the research on “Internet religion” in China. This paper analyzes 196 CSSCl (including the extended edition) articles from the CNKl academic journal database, covering the period from 2000 to 2023. Using a combination of CiteSpace visualization software, descriptive statistical analysis, and a close reading of the literature, it conducts a multidimensional examination of aspects such as research volume, scholarly contributions, and key themes. The study aims to clarify the development trajectory of “Internet religion” research in China and presents suggestions for future directions. The findings reveal that the research on “Internet religion” in China has undergone a progression from the study of traditional phenomena to theoretical paradigm shifts and, subsequently, to practical applications in governance. The research focuses on three core themes: “concepts and paradigms of Internet religion”, “phenomena and fundamental issues of Internet religion”, and “real-world challenges and governance of Internet religion”. This body of research can be divided into four stages: the “initial exploration of Internet ‘religious communication’, with sporadic and fragmented themes” (2000-2010), the “shift from phenomena to governance, expanding into a comprehensive research focus” (2011-2016), the “emergence of diverse and digital themes” (2017-2019), and the “collaborative development of the three sectors, leading to systematic research” (2020-2023). The study identifies key challenges moving forward, including overcoming the “stacking effect”, the construction of an autonomous knowledge system, the cultivation of interdisciplinary talent, and the empowerment of governance through big data.

Key words: internet religion , CiteSpace , visualization , bibliometric analysis , digital humanities