A bibliometric analysis of research on the history of mathematics in mathematics education

This study presents a bibliometric mapping of research on the use of the history of mathematics (HoM) in mathematics education and examines its structural, intellectual and thematic development. A systematic search of the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection (1982–2026) identified 116 articles. Bibliometric analyses were conducted using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny to explore publication patterns, collaboration structures, citation impact and thematic evolution. The results indicate a fluctuating publication trajectory rather than continuous growth, with relatively limited output until the early 2010s followed by increasing research activity. The field exhibits concentrated authorship structure and a core–periphery collaboration pattern, with Jankvist, Clark and Kjeldsen occupying prominent positions within the publication and citation networks. Co-citation, bibliographic coupling and thematic analyses reveal close intellectual relationships among pedagogical, historical-epistemological and cultural research traditions while also indicating increasing thematic diversification towards teacher education, mathematical practices and cultural perspectives. These findings suggest that WoS-indexed HoM research has evolved from primarily advocating the use of history in mathematics education towards a broader research agenda concerned with the pedagogical transformation of historical knowledge and its educational purposes. The study contributes to understanding the intellectual development of HoM research while providing a foundation for future bibliometric and theoretical investigations.