Worlds of Rankings Research

The chapter discusses rankings as a device of evaluation, their historical origins and contemporary presence. It draws attention to the growing scholarly interest rankings have attracted in recent years, which has been especially geared towards those rankings that have come to wield some or even significant influence in their respective societal domains. By mapping the loose ‘genre’ of rankings scholarship across social sciences, the chapter (a) draws attention to its relatively siloed character, (b) identifies dominant conceptualizations of rankings across various research strands, and (c) questions the often-assumed distinction between rankings research and ranking practice. As a way of advancing our understanding of rankings as a social phenomenon and how it affects societal change, the chapter calls for exploring research strategies that facilitate exchange between diffuse ‘worlds of rankings research’.