A Global Bibliometric Evolution of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Research in the Public Sector

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has become a pivotal concern across organizational and societal contexts. In corporate and private-sector settings, DEI research is often mapped through compliance, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and ESG frameworks. In contrast, the public sector emphasizes fairness, representation, and inclusive governance, embedding equity into bureaucratic processes, policy implementation, and citizen-facing services. Despite growing interest, systematic mapping of public-sector DEI scholarship remains limited compared with the extensive analyses available in private-sector contexts. To address the lack of systematic mapping of DEI research in public-sector contexts, this study examines its intellectual foundations, thematic priorities, and emerging trends. It further develops a forward-looking research agenda that integrates theory, empirical evidence, and practical implications for governance. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using two datasets retrieved from Scopus in September 2025, covering the period 2000–2025. Only peer-reviewed journal articles and reviews published in English were included. The general DEI dataset comprised 1,808 records, while the public-sector DEI dataset contained 163 records. Descriptive statistics, co-citation, and co-word analyses were applied to examine publication trends, country contributions, leading journals, intellectual structures, and thematic clusters. Visualization tools included Biblioshiny (Bibliometrix) and VOSviewer. The analysis revealed steady growth in general DEI scholarship, with a sharp acceleration after 2020, while public-sector DEI research showed a later and more focused expansion. Co-citation networks identified key theoretical anchors, including structural inequality, organizational practices, representative bureaucracy, and inclusive leadership. Co-word analyses highlighted thematic clusters emphasizing governance, policy, workplace inclusion, leadership, and equity. Public-sector DEI studies were found to be more cohesive and practically oriented compared with the broader interdisciplinary field. This study positions DEI as both a normative commitment and an empirical domain central to public sector governance. By linking research clusters to core theories, hypothesizing drivers of post-2020 growth, and proposing a concrete research agenda, it provides a roadmap for future scholarship and actionable insights for policymakers. The findings underscore the importance of expanding empirical research, adopting inclusive methodologies, and strengthening theoretical integration to advance equity, inclusion, and representation in public institutions.