Anna Vorontsova

Sumy State University, 

Sumy, Ukraine

E-mail: a.vorontsova@biem.sumdu.edu.ua

ORCID 0000-0003-0603-3869

Conceptualizing propaganda in contemporary scientific activity: a systematic review and evolution of discourses

Alex Plastun

Sumy State University, 

Sumy, Ukraine

E-mail: o.plastun@biem.sumdu.edu.ua

ORCID 0000-0001-8208-7135

Tetyana Mayboroda

Sumy State University, 

Sumy, Ukraine

E-mail: t.mayboroda@biem.sumdu.edu.ua

ORCID 0000-0002-4547-5822

Vladimír Vavrečka

Faculty of Entrepreneurship and Law, Pan-European University, Prague, Czechia

vladimir.vavrecka@peuni.cz

ORCID 0000-0001-6534-3379

Svitlana Bilan

Széchenyi István University, Gyor, Hungary

E-mail: s.bilan@csr-pub.eu

ORCID 0000-0001-9814-5459

Abstract. The rapid digitalization and development of artificial intelligence have intensified destructive information influences, threatening the integrity of scientific knowledge. This study identifies the evolutionary patterns and conceptual transformations of the academic discourse regarding the use of propaganda in contemporary research activities. Using the R-package Bibliometrix, a systematic bibliometric analysis of 7,973 publications indexed in the Scopus database from 2000 to 2026 was conducted. The results demonstrate a steady growth in publication activity and a shift in research geography from traditional Western hubs toward emerging centers in Southeast Asia. An analysis of the terminology enabled the identification of three stages in the discourse evolution: early ethical categories (2000–2015), the "digital shift" (2016–2021), and the current period (2022–2026), marked by geopolitical threats and the automation of disinformation via AI. It has been established that the discourse has evolved from studying isolated incidents to analyzing complex socio-technical ecosystems. The proposed conceptual framework systematizes the impact of disinformation across four dimensions: the instrumentalization of knowledge, the erosion of epistemological reliability, technological automation, and academic resilience. The findings underscore the strategic importance of developing international security protocols, providing a foundation for further research on the stability of higher education while reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the discourse that integrates security, technological, and ethical dimensions.

Received: October, 2025

1st Revision: May, 2026

Accepted: June, 2026

DOI: 10.14254/2071-789X.2026/19-2/14

JEL Classification: D83, I23, O33, D72

Keywords: propaganda, disinformation, fake news, social media, artificial intelligence, science, bibliometrics, academic resilience, epistemological security