Abstract

The relevance of research is determined by the insufficient elaboration of the theoretical justification and methodological approaches to the analysis of the most dynamically developing thematic specialties of social and economic sciences. The purpose of this study is to develop approaches and highlight the trends and frontiers of the socio-economic sciences. The subject of the study is algorithms for assessing trends in socio-economic sciences. The work used theoretical and empirical research methods, including scientometric research methods, content analysis of scientific literature, analysis of opinions of the expert community. The key sources of information were data from three collections of scientific databases WoS CC, Scopus and ESI sampling. The result of the study was the identification of hot spots in the social sciences that are relevant for the middle of 2022. A review of modern methods of natural categorization of scientific research and models for choosing promising topics, as well as a search for services and tools for researching trends, is made. An original methodology for identifying thematic clusters based on algorithms for scientometric analysis and case study mapping has been developed. Among the most dynamically developing thematic areas, clusters have been singled out, which to a greater extent impose high demands and sustainable responses to the great challenges facing the Russian Federation. It was precisely such thematic areas that were given the status of 'frontier'. The conducted research allows to draw conclusions. The problem of identifying promising directions and trends in scientific research is an important task in the formation of national science policy in various countries, including Russia. Operational analysis and forecasting of scientific fronts and technology consumption are today considered as a key element of the country's technological development. The scientific novelty of the study lies in a new idea for the selection of frontier thematic areas based on the synthesis of special functions and options of three collections of documents from scientific databases WoS CC, Scopus and ESI sampling. As a recommendation, it is proposed to accept the synonymy of the concepts of 'priority direction', 'trend' and 'frontier' in the conceptual apparatus of the scientific and technological policy of the Russian Federation. The results obtained during the implementation of research work serve as a methodological and research basis for the development of new promising thematic priorities in the field of socio-economic research aimed at achieving ideological sovereignty in the new geopolitical realities.