Collective action through public participation is essential for the success of smart cities. Therefore, this study presents two research objectives. First, the study aims to map the academic landscape of public participation in smart cities using bibliometric analysis. Second, to deepen understanding of its complexities, the study combines bibliometric analysis with social-ecological system (SES) framework to develop a conceptual SES framework for public participation in smart cities.
In this study, relevant literature was searched in the Scopus database using keywords related to smart cities and public participation. A total of 1,201 documents published before 2025, were retrieved for bibliometric analysis. Through co-citation and co-word analyses, the study identified influential publications, research themes, trends, and potential research focuses in the field of public participation in smart cities.
Through co-citation and co-word analyses, four co-citation clusters and six co-word clusters were identified, highlighting influential publications, research themes, trends, and potential research focuses. Moreover, this study develops a conceptual SES framework for public participation in smart cities, highlighting eleven institutional factors, sixteen social factors, and five ecological factors that influence public participation, along with their roles and impact mechanisms.
The development of the conceptual SES framework introduces a social-ecological perspective into the field of public participation in smart cities, presenting a new theoretical viewpoint. Additionally, the study’s findings can guide the formulation of inclusive smart city policies and provide valuable insights for designing future smart city-related research.
