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Wikipedia as a cultural lens: a quantitative approach for exploring cultural networks

Author

Listed:
  • Luis A. Miccio

    (Centro de Física de Materiales (CSIC-UPV/EHU)
    Institute of Materials Science and Technology (INTEMA-CONICET))

  • Paschalis Agapitos

    (Donostia International Physics Center
    University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU)

  • Carlos Gamez-Perez

    (Científica i Matemàtica)

  • Francisco González

    (Francesa y Alemana)

  • Juan Luis Suarez

    (Western University)

  • Gustavo A. Schwartz

    (Centro de Física de Materiales (CSIC-UPV/EHU)
    Donostia International Physics Center)

Abstract

The structure of cultural networks emerges from complex interactions among many elements related to people, ideas, and objects. However, these interactions can be very subtle and difficult to quantify, precluding a quantitative analysis of the cultural networks that can be crucial to understanding complex dynamics better. In this work, we propose a new approach that combines the formalism of complex networks, the structural relationship between nodes, and the corpus of Wikipedia to map and analyse the interactions among cultural entities. To test the proposed methodology, we study the case of the interdisciplinary cultural network connecting art, science, and philosophy in Europe in the seventeenth century. The results are aligned with well-established historical knowledge of the period and, more importantly, provide new insights to unveil how elements in these networks interact with each other. In particular, we found that nodes within a given cluster, related respectively to art, science or philosophy, interact with nodes in the same cluster following a core-periphery behaviour. In contrast, inter-cluster interactions across disciplines follow a power law distribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Luis A. Miccio & Paschalis Agapitos & Carlos Gamez-Perez & Francisco González & Juan Luis Suarez & Gustavo A. Schwartz, 2025. "Wikipedia as a cultural lens: a quantitative approach for exploring cultural networks," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-025-04772-5
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-04772-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Young-Ho Eom & Pablo Aragón & David Laniado & Andreas Kaltenbrunner & Sebastiano Vigna & Dima L Shepelyansky, 2015. "Interactions of Cultures and Top People of Wikipedia from Ranking of 24 Language Editions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(3), pages 1-27, March.
    2. Gustavo A. Schwartz, 2021. "Complex networks reveal emergent interdisciplinary knowledge in Wikipedia," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-6, December.
    3. Young-Ho Eom & Dima L Shepelyansky, 2013. "Highlighting Entanglement of Cultures via Ranking of Multilingual Wikipedia Articles," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(10), pages 1-10, October.
    4. repec:plo:pone00:0228713 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Laura Spinney, 2012. "Human cycles: History as science," Nature, Nature, vol. 488(7409), pages 24-26, August.
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