| Title |
An Analysis of Research Trends on Maeul-mandeulgi and Related Policy Fields in Korea |
| Authors |
이현선(Yi, Hyeon-Seon) ; 김용승(Kim, Yong-Seung) ; 이강준(Lee, Kang-jun) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.7.117 |
| Keywords |
Maeul-mandeulgi; Research Trend; Korea Citation Index(KCI); Policy Change |
| Abstract |
This study systematically analyzes the research trends of South Korea's community-based local activation and its related policy fields from
1996 to 2025. Utilizing a comprehensive dataset of 2,012 KCI-indexed papers across five domains?Maeul-mandeulgi, Village Community,
Resident Autonomy, Social Economy, and Urban Regeneration?the research employs five indicators (Statutory Power, Agency, Locality,
Self-reliance, and Performance) and four distinct development phases for analysis. The findings reveal three significant patterns. First, the 70%
decrease in direct Maeul-mandeulgi research during the final phase is interpreted not as a decline but as diffusion: the Agency indicator (S2)
remains above 50% across Social Economy (71.8%) and Village Community (47.9%), indicating that the core value of resident agency has
been internalized as a shared agenda across adjacent fields. Second, research paradigms shifted from physical improvement (Locality) toward
institutional empowerment (Statutory Power), economic self-reliance, and performance management, with each field developing a distinct
identity through its own legislative milestones. Third, while cross-field integrated research accounts for only 3.9% of total papers, field
practice has already moved toward integrated operations, as seen in combined support centers established since 2015, suggesting that academic
discourse has yet to adequately capture the convergence occurring at the neighborhood level. |