The disciplinary diversity shrinkage — the experience of Colombian social science research groups

Introduction. This study examines disciplinary diversity within 1,105 Colombian social science research groups between 2013 and 2021. While existing literature focuses on STEMM in high-income nations, this research addresses the knowledge gap in middle-low-income contexts where resource constraints influence scientific resilience. Method. Data were retrieved from MinCiencias national assessments. The study used the DIV diversity index to evaluate three dimensions: variety, balance, and disparity. Analysis. The longitudinal analysis categorized groups by their national ranking (A1, A, B, C, and Recognized). Trends in the DIV index were correlated with team size and hierarchical structures to identify factors influencing interdisciplinary composition. Results. Findings indicate a significant decline in disciplinary diversity among top-tier groups (A1 and A) over time. While lower-ranked groups maintained more stable profiles, their overall diversity remained low. Increased team size and hierarchical concentration in elite groups appear to hinder disciplinary integration. Conclusions. The reduction in diversity suggests that current national assessment policies may inadvertently discourage interdisciplinarity. Reforms are necessary to foster flatter, more innovative team structures. Future research should consider open bibliometric data to link these diversity trends to specific research impacts.