Mapping the Novel Nexus of Young People, Digitalisation, and Sustainability in the Global South: A Bibliometric Approach to Reviewing Literature for Future Studies

Abstract

This study conducts a bibliometric and thematic analysis on the convergence of young people, digitalization, and sustainability in the Global South by analyzing 349 Scopus-indexed documents. It investigates thematic evolutions, identifies key contributors and collaboration networks, and highlights emergent trends across social, environmental, and computer sciences. Employing a mixed methods approach, the research dissects the interplay between digital technologies and sustainable development, revealing significant global academic collaboration. It outlines three critical future research areas: the impact of digital technologies on young people's relational well-being (RWB), barriers and facilitators to incorporating relational well-being (RWB) in sustainability practices, and the creation of relational well-being (RWB)-centric digital engagement frameworks for sustainability. The paper proposes a roadmap for future investigations, presenting thirty suggested studies to address the literary gap in epistemology. It emphasizes the need for innovative approaches that merge digitalization with sustainability to enhance the relational well-being (RWB) among the youth in the Global South. This condensed analysis and its recommendations contribute to the discourse on leveraging digital technologies for sustainable development, offering insights for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners.