UNCOVERING THE SEMANTIC ARCHITECTURE OF GREEN ECONOMY RESEARCH IN AFRICA: A LEXICOMETRIC PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This article examines the semantic architecture of green economy research in Africa through a lexicometric approach. Based on a textual corpus processed with IRaMuTeQ, the study analyzes lexical salience, descending hierarchical classification, factorial correspondence analysis, and similarity networks to identify the main semantic structures of the field. The results reveal a cohesive lexical core centered on sustainable development, green economy, Africa, South Africa, environmental economics, energy, and emissions. They also highlight three major discursive registers: a policy-developmental register, a techno-energetic register, and an econometric register focused on emissions and macroeconomic variables. The study shows that green economy research in Africa forms a hybrid discursive field where normative, technical, and empirical rationalities intersect. It contributes by providing a deeper semantic reading of a literature often described only through thematic inventories.