Mapping the Landscape of Online Discrimination: An Integrated Transdisciplinary Approach

Abstract

Online discrimination is an alarming phenomenon that draws growing attention across academic disciplines. However, this interest has led to fragmented knowledge, with research often confined within disciplinary boundaries. This study introduces an innovative hybrid approach that combines a scoping review with textual analysis to bridge this gap by (1) mapping the existing literature, (2) identifying key concepts across disciplines, and (3) offering an open, interactive tool for scholars, policymakers, and professionals. Following PRISMA guidelines, we selected 374 scientific publications from 2011 to 2024 across diverse fields (i.e., arts and humanities, history, information and communication technology, law, medicine, psychology, and social sciences). Then, key concepts were identified through textual analysis of the titles and abstracts of the selected contributions, revealing five thematic classes: “consequences on mental health,” “online discrimination detection,” “critical political discourse,” “laws and regulations,”, and “perceptions and reactions.” For each class, we conducted a similarity analysis to further explore its structure and associations. Based on our findings, we propose a transdisciplinary framework to better understand online discrimination and provide a publicly accessible interactive tool and database for further exploration. This tool enables practitioners to perform targeted analyses and support evidence-based decision-making.